Scott Sinclair and Tom Barkhuizen among 13 players released by Preston

Scott Sinclair and Tom Barkhuizen are among 13 players who have been released by Preston following the conclusion of their Sky Bet Championship campaign.

North End, who finished 13th in the table, were quick to confirm the club’s retained list as they begin preparations for next season.

Sinclair, 33, signed from Celtic in January 2020 and made 27 appearances in all competitions for Preston while fellow forward Barkhuizen, 28, has played over 200 games since joining the club in 2017 but spent much of this campaign dealing with injuries.

Other out-of-contract players who have been released include midfielder Izzy Brown and goalkeeper Connor Ripley, while Cameron Archer, Daniel Iversen, Josh Murphy and Sepp van den Berg will all return to their parent clubs after loan spells at Deepdale.

Preston boss Ryan Lowe told the club’s website: “It’s been a pleasure to work with each and every player that’s been here since I walked through the door.

“They’ve been brilliant. The attitude and application has been top drawer and I’ve thanked them all for that.

“There’s always tough decisions to be made at this stage of the season when contracts are coming to an end, but ultimately that’s football and I’ve got to take this football club in a different direction.

“I’m sure that some will now be looking forward to a new challenge elsewhere and I wish each and every one of them all the best for the future.”