Alex Neil splashes cash on winger fresh from Port Vale exit as 'Stoke City target heading to Sunderland'
Alex Neil has continued another Championship shopping spree as he seals a seven-figure deal for Brighton and Hove Albion winger Benicio Baker.
Baker, aged 21, has spent the first half of the season on loan in League Two with Port Vale, where he made three league starts and seven sub appearances. He is quick and chipped in with two assists, with Vale manager Darren Moore saying: “He has showcased wonderful ability to get supporters off their seat and to be a real game changer when on his game and has the attitude to go on and fulfil his potential within the game."
Neil has cash to spend after Millwall sold Romain Esse to Crystal Palace for a reported fee of about £12 million. He has since already broken Millwall's transfer record to sign 23-year-old winger Camiel Neghli from Sparta Rotterdam and Baker will apparently cost about £1m. He has also brought in former Stoke loan midfielder Luke Cundle for £1m from Wolves, Ajay Matthews from Middlesbrough for about £1m, Tristan Crama for an undisclosed fee from Brentford and Aaron Connolly on a free from Sunderland.
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Millwall director of football Steve Gallen said: “Another England youth international, Benicio ticks a number of boxes we’re looking to recruit for at his young age of 21. He is an exciting winger who will add plenty of pace and skill to the squad, which will get fans off their seats."
Burnley sign Marcus Edwards
Burnley have signed 26-year-old winger Marcus Edwards from Sporting Lisbon on loan until the end of the season.
Edwards started his career at Tottenham’s academy but only featured in a Carabao Cup game before moving to Portugal, signing for Vitoria and then Sporting.
Nathan Jones signs midfielder from Middlesbrough
Alex Gilbert completed a deadline day Middlesbrough exit as he joined League One side Charlton Athletic on loan until the end of the season.
GazetteLive report: "A straight loan with no purchase option, Boro still see a big future for the attacking midfielder and are sending him to Charlton in the hope he continues his development by playing regularly in the second half of the season. Hampered by an injury in the first half of the season, he's struggled for game-time throughout his stay on Teesside thus far."
Sunderland leading race for Liverpool kid
Jayden Danns has been on Stoke's radar, having come through the Liverpool ranks alongside Lewis Koumas.
He's seen as a number 9 and, with Stoke having Nathan Lowe and Ali Al-Hamadi, plus Koumas probably being better suited down the middle, and Emre Tezgel hoping to break in to Mark Robins' plans, and with the five loan spots allowed in a match day squad already filled, it's slipped down the list of possibilities.
The Athletic claim: “Jayden Danns expected to join Sunderland on loan today. The promotion-chasing Championship outfit leading the chase for the teenage striker. Decision taken to sanction a loan given attacking options currently available to Slot.”
Hull spending continues
As Neil is signing cheques at Millwall, his old head of recruitment at Stoke, Jared Dublin, is doing likewise at Hull, who lost 2-1 to Stoke on Saturday.
Hull have been very busy this month, with a loan deal for Louie Barry from Aston Villa believed to be worth in the region of £1m in terms of loan fee and agent fee. There are whispers that Eliot Matazo, signed from Monaco, is taking home about £45,000 per week while Kyle Joseph cost about £2.5m from Blackpool.
Now they are in deadline day talks with Burnley over a permanent deal for centre-back John Egan and they could also bring in another and let a couple leave before 11pm, say HullLive.
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