DAVID MOYES' summer shopping spree looks set to continue with the arrival of a premiership starlet at Deepdale.

Just two days after signing Southampton striker Steve Basham after chasing him for eight months, an Everton star is ready to put pen to paper at Preston.

Bosses at the club have refused to confirm that it will be 32-year-old Terry Phelan, a left-back who has struggled to find fitness in recent times.

I understand the player to sign will be a defender, probably a left-back, which leaves three obvious names in the frame, that of Michael Ball, David Unsworth and Phelan.

The first two are regulars in the first team, pushing Phelan to the fringes in recent times.

And that's not the only new face expected to be on the way in to Deepdale over the coming days.

A Moroccan midfielder is also expected to be arriving shortly. Again, PNE bosses have refused to confirm whether the player arriving was among a crop of foreign players who trialled at the club towards the end of last season.

But the player is expected to play for three months on loan with a view to a permanent deal.

And with the imminent arrival of Nicky Forster for Birmingham City, it looks as though Preston will be starting the season with a full squad.

Southampton striker Steve Basham returned to Deepdale - this time for good - on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old decided to plump for Preston after having a deadline imposed on him by the North End board, who have been trying to capture the young striker for several months. Their interest in the player stretches way back to before he arrived on loan at Deepdale in January.

During his spell at Deepdale, he scored 10 goals in 17 games and although he is officially out of contract at The Dell, a fee will be determined by a tribunal for his transfer because of his young age.

Speaking about his three-year contract, Basham, voted Citizen player of the month twice during his short spell at Preston, said: "I have had a long, hard think over the summer.

"In the end it wasn't a hard decision to make to come here.

"I could no longer see a future for myself at the Dell and Preston is a great club, with great support and the fans are excellent.

"They made it so easy for me when I was here on loan, chanting my name and making me feel really welcome.

"This support was a big factor in my decision to sign for North End and hopefully we will have a good season."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.