PNE striker linked with Wigan

Doyle was poised for a switch to Portsmouth after spending the second half of last season with the League Two champions on loan.

But Wigan might now be his destination to link up with Paul Cook who was appointed Latics manager this week.

He left Portsmouth to join Wigan, with Cook a key factor in Doyle going to Pompey in January.

Before that, the pair had worked at Chesterfield and at Sligo Rovers in Ireland.

So there is clearly mutual respect between them and it makes a move to Wigan for Doyle seem likely.

After a blistering first 18 months in English football at Chesterfield – he scored 38 goals – Doyle has struggled to reproduce that form a league higher in the Championship.

After joining Cardiff City in a big-money move, he scored five goals.

Doyle came to North End on loan early in the 2015/16 season.

He netted four goals in 16 starts and 13 appearances from the bench.

But the 29-year-old still landed himself a permanent switch to PNE last summer.

Doyle struggled to make an impact and was sent off for fighting with team-mate Jermaine Beckford last December.

He joined Portsmouth on loan for the rest of the season on the final day of the January transfer window.

There were talks between North End and Pompey last month but Cook’s departure to Wigan changed things.