Stoke City sanction first deal of transfer deadline day
Stoke City are sending midfielder Darius Lipsiuc on loan to Walsall for the rest of the season.
The 19-year-old Republic of Ireland youth midfielder is highly rated at Clayton Wood having joined from St Patrick's Athletic 12 months ago. He was on the first team bench for a win at Hull in the Championship on Saturday.
Now he will join up with clubmate Tommy Simkin at League Two title-chasers Walsall for his first taste of senior football. Nathan Lowe had also spent the first half of this season at the Bescot Stadium, enjoying a prolific spell that turbocharged their promotion credentials while David Okagbue went there last season before making the switch permanent.
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Lipsiuc has captained Stoke's under-21s at points this season and Stoke value his leadership qualities.
"It's been a long time coming with talks throughout the whole window so I'm buzzing and ready to go," said Lipsiuc.
"It's my time to get football experience in the league now and there is no better place to start than Walsall. The team are flying at the moment so hopefully I can help as much I can and get as many minutes as possible."
Walsall won nine games in a row up to January 18, including one after Lowe had returned to Stoke, but have lost two and drawn one in the last three. They remain seven points clear of second-placed Doncaster Rovers and 11 ahead of fourth-placed AFC Wimbledon in terms of the automatic promotion spots.
Boss Mat Sadler said: "I'm happy we've been able to bring Darius in. Darius is an all action, powerful midfield player.
"He wants to run, wants to work hard. Thanks to the guys and our relationship at Stoke in allowing us to get this one over the line.
"We actually had Darius in for a few days a couple of weeks ago so I got to see him first hand.
"He's got a very good attitude and he's another one, alongside Alfie (Chang, on loan from Birmingham), who fits the mould of the type of player that we want."
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