JOSEPH Mills should find out this week if he has earned a move to Preston North End.

The Saints left-back appears to have no future at St Mary’s and is currently on trial with Phil Brown’s League One team.

Mills, who spent most of the 2010/11 season on loan at Championship outfit Doncaster, was not part of last week’s preseason tour to Switzerland.

Saints boss Nigel Adkins instead took three other leftbacks – Dan Harding, Ryan Dickson and 19-year-old Ben Reeves.

Reeves, who has yet to make a competitive appearance for Saints, played 45 minutes in both friendlies against FC Biel- Bienne and St Gallen.

With no place for him in Switzerland, Mills, 21, has been in Scotland, where Preston are conducting their own preparations for the new season.

He played the full 90 minutes in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Falkirk, having been given 45 minutes in last week’s 4-0 win against Fleetwood Town.

Mills is in a straight battle for a contract at Deepdale with 19-year-old Alex Cooper, who has been released by Liverpool.

Money is tight at Preston, and Brown is expected to choose just one of the leftbacks, as the North End boss looks to lead the club back into the Championship at the first attempt.

Sources indicated Mills impressed against Falkirk, but it was Cooper’s turn to be given a start last night in the friendly at Kilmarnock.

The Daily Echo has been told that Brown is likely to make a decision this week on which player he intends to sign.

It is possible that concluding any deal could extend beyond that, but it looks as if Mills will know within the next few days whether he has done enough.

After making 19 appearances and scoring two goals for Doncaster last season, it appeared likely that if Mills went anywhere this summer it would be to the Keepmoat Stadium.

However, Rovers manager Sean O’Driscoll instead opted to sign Sheffield Wednesday full-back Tommy Spurr, leaving Mills facing an uncertain future.

The player still has a year left to run on his current contract at Saints and, therefore, would likely command some kind of fee.

Academy graduate Mills has made 35 first-team appearances for the club, since making his debut under former head coach Jan Poortvliet in 2008.

He actually had a loan spell working under Adkins at Scunthorpe in 2009, playing 14 times for the Iron.