North End striker Jordan Hugill has put pen to paper on a new contract that ties him to the Club until at least the end of the 2017/18 season.
The 23-year-old signed for the Lilywhites from Port Vale in June 2014 and his current deal was due to expire at the end of the current season, but he has now added a further two seasons to the end of that period.
The No.25, who was plucked from non-league by the Valiants in 2013, has already scored twice this season, both in the Capital One Cup, having returned to the squad after a serious knee injury curtailed his 2014/15 campaign.
After battling back from the injury suffered against Walsall in September 2014, Hugill went out on loan at the end of last season to Hartlepool United, scoring the goal that eventually confirmed they would stay in the Football League. He then returned to Deepdale and was on the bench for the Play-Off Final win at Wembley in May.
This season he has made six appearances, starting at Crewe in the first round of the league cup, where he scored the opening goal from the penalty spot and scored the late equaliser against Premier League Bournemouth to take the third round tie to extra-time.
Speaking about the Middlesbrough-born forward’s new contract manager Simon Grayson said: “When we signed Jordan we knew we were getting a raw, hungry young player with a lot to learn. Last season he did well for us when he was involved, contributing to the team, but it was a stop-start year because of his injury. He worked hard to get back from that and continued to work hard in pre-season.
“He has been major handful for opposition defenders when he has been involved and whilst there is still a lot of work to be done for him, he is a willing worker and provides something different to the other striking options we have in the squad and we are delighted to be able to work with him and will hopefully continue to see him improve over the next three years.”
Hugill was delighted to sign the new deal adding: “I'm absolutely buzzing to get a new contract and I can get my head down now for the next few years and see where I go from there. This is a big boost confidence wise; there is nothing more you want as a footballer than to know you are secure for the next two and half years.
“I can just concentrate on my game now and try and repay the faith the manager has shown in me.”