http://yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=news&id=001201 New Jersey native Jemal Johnson has joined up with Coca-Cola Championship club Preston North End for a one-month's loan and is pegged to start this weekend's match with Leicester City. "[Preston head coach] Billy Davies has been looking at Jemal for quite some time now," PNE Media Manager Matt Morris told YA Friday afternoon. "He was watching his progress in the reserves at Blackburn Rovers and Mark Hughes has agreed to let him go for a month to get some first team opportunities." "We have been looking for a striker as we have been lacking in firepower for quite some time now and we are down to the bare bones up front." Johnson, 20, who was earlier the target of a failed loan bid from fellow Championship side Plymouth Argyle, has appeared just twice as a substitute this season for Rovers, but been a mainstay in the reserves scoring six times. Last season, the youngster was rewarded for his breakout season - which included a FA Cup goal against Colchester United - with a contract extension that will keep him at Ewood Park until 2007. Preston, who narrowly missed Premiership promotion in last season's playoff final to West Ham, have struggled offensively this season following the departures of USMNT mainstay Eddie Lewis and top-scorer Richard Cresswell to Leeds United and have beset with a host of injuries. The Lilywhites' current leading forward David Nugent has also missed substantial time due to a hospitalization for a viral infection contracted from an insect bite. Preston currently sit 16th in the Championship table. This could be huge as he's a young kid with big talent, he could play himself into a WC roster spot b/c now he has a chance to play everyday. So just keep an eye on him folks.