Middlesbrough seal deal for one Stoke old boy as Sheffield United beat Sheffield Wednesday to another
Mark Travers has sealed a loan move to Middlesbrough to resolve their goalkeeping injury crisis.
The 25-year-old gave a glimpse of his potential on loan at Stoke City last season before he an emergency recall by Bournemouth to sit on their bench in the Premier League in late October. He made four appearances towards the end of the campaign and has had a handful of games this term while deputising Kepa Arrizabalaga.
He had been in demand again this month by Championship clubs prepared to take the same risk and Middlesbrough have beaten Watford to get a deal done after losing Sol Brynn and Seny Dieng to long-term injuries. Australian Tom Glover has been their only fit senior keeper as they fight for a play-off spot, currently sitting sixth.
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He becomes Boro’s fourth signing of the January transfer window after previous deals for Ryan Giles, George Edmundson and Morgan Whittaker.
Harry Clarke, another former Stoke loanee, is also wanted in the promotion chase.
Sheffield United are set to beat city rivals Wednesday to land the right-back from Ipswich Town, completing his medical today in time to make his debut this weekend, reports the Sheffield Star.
"United have moved on from their pursuit of Jonjoe Kenny after his current club Hertha Berlin dug in their heels over his future... and instead moved quickly to set up a deal for Clarke on loan until the end of the season," it is claimed.
Luton Town have brought in Thelo Aasgaard from Wigan Athletic, where he has scored 12 times in 31 appearances this season.
Manager Matt Bloomfield said: “He’s a player who I’ve had my eye on from afar for a while. He’s technically very, very good and can create and score goals. Thelo can play as a 10 but can play as an eight or on the left."
Bloomfield wants to be reunited with his old striker from Wycombe, Richard Kone, too and there are reports that he's ready to pay £5m.
Derby County are hoping to bring in three players - Middlesbrough's Dan Barlaser has been the strongest link - as they brace themselves for an offer from Brighton for centre-back Eiran Cashin.
"Derby are thought to want £10m and at this moment, Cashin's exit feels more probable than improbable," reports DerbyshireLive.
"Although the hierarchy had said he was 'categorically' not for sale, there looks to have been a gradual shift in stance in the knowledge that the money commanded from his sale could be invested back into the team in areas where Derby certainly need to strengthen."
Grumbles continue at Swansea City - "Even by their own increasingly remarkable standards, this is shaping up to be another chaotic January transfer window," reports WalesOnline - but they should pocket a "sizeable portion" of the fee from Whittaker's move from Plymouth to Boro due to a sell-on clause.
Swansea have interviewed former Stoke academy director Gareth Jennings for a sporting director role whcih has been vacant for the last three months but "despite the pair having what insiders have described as 'positive talks', the club have since decided to go in a different direction.
"It's understood Swansea have now made a decision on who will succeed Paul Watson, who left the club for reasons that still haven't been properly explained back in October, although the identity this new candidate isn't yet known."
Jennings is currently technical director of the UAE Pro League, a board member at Grimsby Town and on the technical advisory board at the Wales FA.
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