CRAIG Brown today warned the Premiership vultures circling around Deepdale: You'll need deep pockets to get my players!

Both striker Ricardo Fuller and midfielder Dickson Etuhu have been the subject of constant media rumours which link them with a host of Premiership clubs.

As it stands, no sale or transfer to the Premiership can take place until January, when a transfer window opens, but fans at Deepdale have already begun bracing themselves for the possible departure of key names.

North End lost Jon Macken for £5million, Sean Gregan for around £2million and received compensation for manager David Moyes when he moved to the Premiership.

That, believes Brown, means it will take much more than just a quick wave of a cheque book for North End to part with prize assets.

He said: "The collapse of ITV Digital has made it a lot harder for clubs to hang on to players, there is no doubt about it.

"But that isn't such a problem here at North End. We have the sales of Macken, Gregan and the compensation for David Moyes behind us and we are not a club which has to sell players.

"If a club wants one of our players, they will have to pay a lot for him, it is as simple as that. We do not need to sell."

Fuller's brace against Burnley and the opener in the Worthington Cup against Birmingham on Tuesday have placed him in the spotlight.

Brown said: "In the Burnley game, I would say that was the first time he has been fully fit."

Brown is confident Fuller will be fit in time for this weekend's game away at Millwall.

Both he and Paul McKenna suffered knee injuries during the 2-0 win at Birmingham, but Brown said: "The only doubt we have is Chris Lucketti who has pulled muscles near to his rib cage.

"Both Ricardo and Paul have been told to take it easy before Saturday."

He added: "Millwall look a good side, and they are dangerous up front, I saw that when they beat Sheffield Wednesday. But I think we have a good chance. We are playing well as things are breaking for us, which they haven't done in the past. We have seen that in the last couple of games."