Daniel Iversen’s late return to Preston North End isn’t an issue for loan keeper

Ideally, the Dane would have been able to do some of the pre-season training work with the Lilywhites.

As it was, his loan switch from Leicester City only went through on Wednesday, allowing him just a couple of days training with PNE ahead of today’s Championship opener against Hull.

The goalkeeper is used to such scenarios though, this the fourth time he has arrived at a loan club shortly before the season starts.

It must be remembered that he came ‘cold’ to North End in January too, arriving at short notice.

Iversen did the first few weeks of pre-season training with Leicester as they waited for Kasper Schmeichel and Danny Ward to return from holiday after Euro 2020.

With Schmeichel playing for Denmark, Iversen hoped his countryman would be away for as long as possible as that meant a successful run in the Euros.

Iversen told the Lancashire Post: “I wanted Kasper to go on in the Euros for as long as possible, they did really well.

“I was just happy for him and Denmark to have done so well and got as far as they did.

“Going to a club late in the pre-season is something I had done for three years.

“I would play in the friendly games for Leicester but I knew I wouldn’t be there during the season because I was going out on loan.

“I’m a Leicester player so when I was there I worked as hard as possible for them.

“Now I’ve come on loan to Preston again, I’ll do all I can to be successful here.

“It felt good to have come back this week, I knew the lads and the staff – there are some great people here.

“It wasn’t a new place for me to come and have to get to know the players, so it was easy to walk back in.”

Iversen has 114 first-team appearances under his belt from loan stays at Oldham, Rotherham, O-H Leuven and North End.

Ideally he wants to see that number increase significantly this season.

“I have only played 23 games in the Championship, so now I’m trying to get more games in this division,” said 24-year-old Iversen.

“There is good competition here which will be good. That competition will benefit Declan Rudd and myself, and the other keepers.

“It’s different for keepers when it comes to getting a chance in the team.

“You can’t come on for 20 minutes at the end like an outfield player does, you don’t change you keeper in a game.

“A striker might be played on the wing but you can’t ask a keeper to go and play as a defender!”