Preston North End manager is waiting for the phone to ring regarding Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer

The 20-year-old scored seven times for PNE after joining on loan in January and became a firm favourite at Deepdale after scoring the winning goal against Blackpool in a 1-0 win.

Lowe has made no secret of his admiration for the England U21 international nor his want to bring him back to the club should the opportunity arise.

Archer was linked with a move to Watford in recent days - after it had previously been said by Villa boss Steven Gerrard that he would not be loaned out - as a part of a deal that would see Ismaila Sarr go the other way, though the transfer of the latter seems to have broken down.

“What I will say, and it's all I'll say on it, if Cameron Archer becomes available, I'd like to think I'd know,” Lowe said.

"If I get a phone call saying he's available then great, if I don't, I'm not too concerned. I'm not running around, I haven't been waiting on players.

"Everyone knows how I feel about Cam. Until my phone goes, from their manager to say that he's available, I'm taking it as he is not available.

"He's probably going to play in the Carabao Cup for them, he's been on the bench for them every game and made an appearance.”

Archer recently signed a new five-year-deal at Aston Villa after impressing and scoring in their pre-season.

The deal will have come with a pay rise for the Villa starlet and whilst North End boss Lowe was keen to avoid focusing too much on his former forward, the financial side is not his concern at the moment.

He said: “I don't know, that's not me to answer. I've said what I've said on it, until I get a phone call off Stevie saying he's available I'm going to take it as if he's not available.

"He's an Aston Villa player and that's where I'll stand on it.

"People will speculate and say what they want to say but ultimately if the phone rings we'll have something to talk about, if it doesn't - which I don't expect it to then - I won't. I can't really comment on it.”