CLUB officials have denied rumours that struggling striker Steve Basham is all set to quit Deepdale after his girlfriend became homesick.

Rumour mongers at North End say the 21-year-old's partner, Laura, is unhappy with the striker playing in Preston when both of them hail from the South.

Basham is now being tipped for a return to the south coast this summer -- possibly at Portsmouth, a team North End could end up playing if David Moyes' promotion masterplan pays off.

But deputy chairman Derek Shaw said: "I haven't heard about it, and I think Steve is quite happy here.

"I know Steve had to move up here and leave his girlfriend in the South because of her job, but I don't think it is an issue."

Basham, 21, signed on the dotted line for North End over the summer, after a prolonged loan spell at North End.

Dithering on part of North End at the end of last season meant the ex-Southampton striker had to return to the Dell before PNE's doomed play-offs attempt.

The striker, at the time, was keen to see what Southampton had to offer him, hoping he wouldn't have too move too far from the south coast because he was ... home sick. When it became clear he had no future at the Premiership side, he switched back to North End for £200,000 -- a price set by a tribunal after Southampton had asked for more than £1 million.

His first season at Deepdale has failed to eclipse his fantastic loan spell at North End, lurching from one injury to another. He has only recently returned to match fitness, but still looks a way off hitting the sort of form which had Northenders cheering last year.

He will probably miss this weekend's game with a thigh strain.

But while Bash might well want away, loan winger Iain Anderson is desperate to put pen to paper for a permanent move.

The Toulouse star is here until the end of the season, and told the Citizen the day after he arrived that he wanted to stay -- even before he had played in his first match.

Now North End are working behind the scenes to try and make the permanent move a reality.

Anderson said: "It has been made clear to me that I an wanted here and I do want to play football here.

"There is so much potential at Preston, but I know nothing has been confirmed so I am just keeping my fingers crossed."