Preston North End boss Alex Neil isn't surprised by big club interest for Josh Earl.

The young defender is a target for Liverpool and Everton.

Earl was recently handed a new contract, but big some Premier League clubs are sniffing around Deepdale regardless.

“Josh has been excellent, he's been a real surprise for me because I didn't really know anything about him," Preston boss Neil said.

“He played at Lancaster last year and came through the youth system and as soon as I saw him in the first couple of games I thought we had a cracker on our hands.

“I think for what he has done in the first team he has been rightly rewarded [with a new deal], he has all the attributes to become a top player for us going forward."