Use your head and sign up now for the Everton FC newsletter Sign up now Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Preston North End are to hold talks with Everton over signing Aiden McGeady on a long-term deal.

The Blues winger is on a season-long loan at the Championship club but has spoken of his desire to stay with them permanently.

McGeady recently admitted that his Everton career was all but over having been frozen out by both Roberto Martinez and then Ronald Koeman.

And now Preston boss Simon Grayson has confirmed that he wants to keep McGeady beyond the end of the campaign.

“We’d like to [keep him], and I think Aiden has made it clear he would like to stay,” he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“The problem is that he has a year left at Everton. But we’ll do as much as we can to make sure he’s a Preston North End player next year.

“Do we go and sign him on a long-term contract, or do we try to get him on another season-long loan?

"Negotiations will happen with Everton because we would be foolish not to ask the question.

“It is something that will take care of itself, probably at the back-end of the season, but it’s something that we would like and I’m sure the supporters would too, because he’s been exceptional for us.”

McGeady, who was named Championship player of the month for February, joined Everton in January 2014.

But the Republic of Ireland winger has only made 43 appearances, scoring just once.