Ross Wallace helped Sunderland win promotion in 2007

Preston have completed the signing of winger Ross Wallace on a season-long loan deal from Sunderland.

The 23-year-old former Celtic trainee has agreed the move to Deepdale despite turning down a permanent move to North End earlier this summer.

Manager Alan Irvine told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I have been chasing Ross for some time.

"I think he felt that with the signings Roy [Keane] has made he wouldn't get the opportunities he would like."

Preston and Sunderland have agreed a permanent transfer fee for the player which can be exercised at any time during the loan spell.

However, Sunderland have inserted a clause in the loan contract which gives them the option of recalling Wallace in January.

Irvine added: "He's a left winger and straight away when you look at our squad you see that we only had one natural left sided player in Lewis Neal.

"It was a gap in our squad that which was glaring when you write out the team in a 4-4-2 formation.

"Immediately we've addressed that. Chris Sedgwick and Simon Whaley have played on the left side very effectively on a number of occasions but they are not natural left sided players."

Wallace will make his Preston debut in the club's final pre-season friendly of the summer at Crewe on Saturday.