Burnley manager Owen Coyle swooped to beat the transfer deadline to sign striker David Nugent from Premier League rivals Portsmouth in September 2009.

The former Preston forward joined the Clarets on a six-month loan deal with a view to either a loan extension or a permanent deal.

Nugent, 24, brings to Turf Moor a track record as a proven goalscorer, as well as valuable top-flight experience, to increase the striking options in Coyle's squad.

Liverpool-born Nugent, who has been capped once by England, started his career at Bury and scored 20 goals in just over 100 appearances for the Shakers after coming through the youth system at Gigg Lane.

His pace and eye for goal attracted widespread attention from higher divisions and in January, 2005 he moved to Deepdale for a fee of £100,000.

A massive favourite at Preston, Nugent scored 37 times in a little over 100 appearances and helped North End to the Championship play-offs in 2005 and 2006.

Capped 14 times at England under-21 level, with four goals to his name, Nugent's form for Preston also earned him a call-up by Steve McClaren to the senior squad, making him the first outfield player since Sunderland's Michael Gray in 1999 to be selected for England from outside the top flight.

His England debut came in a European Championship qualifier in March, 2007 when he scored as a substitute against Andorra.

Not surprisingly, Nugent's status as one of the top marksmen outside the Premier League placed him in great demand and in the summer of 2007 frenzied transfer speculation linked the player with a number of Premier League clubs.

Sunderland and Portsmouth both had bids of £6m accepted by Preston and Nugent opted to move to Fratton Park in July, 2007.

His two-year stay on the south-coast has not always been plain sailing but, despite being linked with moves to a number of other clubs, Nugent remained an important member of Pompey's first-team squad and weighed in with half-dozen goals, including the winner at Turf Moor in a Carling Cup tie in September, 2007.

Nugent also claimed an FA Cup winners' medal in 2008 when he came off the bench to help Harry Redknapp's side beat Cardiff City in the final at Wembley before returning north to join Burnley just two minutes before the transfer window closed.