Preston North End wait on Manchester United starlet

by Pat McGatt. Published Tue 15 Jun 2010 11:30, Last updated: 2010-06-15

Preston North End boss Darren Ferguson remains confident that Manchester United youngster Danny Welbeck will be back at Deepdale next season.

Welbeck spent a spell on loan with the Championship club last season and scored twice in eight appearances before his campaign was cut short by a knee injury.

The 19-year-old is expected to be sent out on loan again next term and is currently hoping to secure a move to a top-flight club.

However, if this fails to materialise, the North End boss is hopeful he will return to Deepdale.

"I've been speaking to Danny and his brother, who looks after his interests, and things are ongoing on that front," Ferguson told the Lancashire Evening Post.

"My feeling is that they think it's right to try and get him out on loan to a Premier League club. But if that doesn't happen, if he comes to a Championship club, it will be us.

"One of the difficult things in signing players on loan from the Premier League is that their clubs often want them to do pre-season training with them.

"It's only closer to the start of the season that they're allowed out. That could be the case with Danny but, if so, we know what we are getting.

"He enjoyed his time here last season and was frustrated the loan was cut short by his injury.

"I'm looking for another striker this summer, one with more pace than we've got."