TWTD understands that Blackburn Rovers midfielder Keith Andrews is at Town this afternoon to undergo a medical with his signing on a six-month loan deal likely to be confirmed later today. The Blues were hoping to land the 30-year-old Republic of Ireland international last week but Rovers are understood to have been the club who boss Paul Jewell said weren’t answering their phones.

Speaking yesterday, Jewell said he was confident that he would complete two deals before the end of the week, the second believed to be a central defender, possibly Liverpool’s Daniel Ayala, who is also a target of Hull City and Swansea.

It’s likely that Blackburn’s willingness to loan Andrews was linked to the completion of their deal to sign 22-year-old FK Partizan midfielder Radosav Petrovic, a switch which was announced earlier this afternoon.

Defensive midfielder Andrews began his career with Wolves, moving on loan to Oxford United, Stoke and Walsall before making a permanent switch to Hull City in 2005 when his contract at Molineux ran out.

After a just over a year with the Tigers, the Dubliner moved on to the MK Dons where he made his name playing under Paul Ince, the former England international taking him into the Premier League during his short spell in charge at Ewood Park for £1.3 million in the summer of 2008. The first of the 6ft tall midfielder’s 20 Irish caps - plus two goals - followed soon after.

Last season Andrews made only three starts and three sub appearances for Rovers and his exit this summer has been on the cards for some while, despite having a contract which takes him up to 2013. Leeds and Nottingham Forest were amongst the other clubs interested.

Earlier this week, a tabloid revealed that the details of Andrews’s Blackburn contract and those of some of his colleagues were outlined in a brochure the club was passing to agents.

According to the document, the midfielder is on £21,000-a-week, of which the Blues are likely to be paying only a proportion, plus an additional £2,000 for every Blackburn game he plays.

Andrews’s Rovers wage was due to increase with every five Premier League games he plays and he is due a further annual payment of £26,667.

His former club the MK Dons will receive 10% of any profit made on the £1.3 million Rovers paid for him if they were to sell him.

Andrews is likely to make his Town debut in Saturday's home game against his old club Hull City.

Photo: Action Images

Joetown96 added 20:01 - Aug 9 he's decent hope we get him
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churchmans added 20:43 - Aug 9 could mean that hyam out on loan if andrews comes in
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TractorRoyNo1 added 21:56 - Aug 9 we need a creative player not another hod carrier
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SmellyGreenVeggie added 21:58 - Aug 9 Well done again PJ, Clegg and Mr Evans. Andrews Should do a very good job at this level, still its still a shame about Hyam he looks to have gone backwards, he was class at the beginning of last season. Only thing with Andrews is his £20k a week wage, good job Mr Evans has deep pockets!
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jas0999 added 08:56 - Aug 10 Good player - but need a couple of CB's. Act now PJ.
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depressed added 09:22 - Aug 10 Personally if we are going to get loan players in i would like it to be on a season long contract. Can,t understand the logic in bringing a player in for 6 months! Radosav Petrovic has not gone to Blackburn on a 6 month deal.
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stinkiusminkius added 12:18 - Aug 10 Can Andrews play at CB too? I must admit, I always (wrongly and stupidly) thought that he was a defender. Surely a Prem defensive mf could do a more than adequate job at cb!!!???
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petieboy2011 added 13:12 - Aug 10 Its funny how Sky Sports News last night confirmed that he had joined us on a 6 month loan deal (around 6pm ish) but they have changed the story today to he could join us. No wonder its taking us so long to sort out a deal though, and no wonder he hasnt been playing regularly.....apparently he gets a pay rise every 5 games he plays for Blackburn!
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tractorboy2434 added 15:09 - Aug 10 Looks a bit like this deal has gone the way of many other Ipswich deals, and you can forget Ayala, he is going to a Prem club, probably Norwich.
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dubblue added 16:55 - Aug 10 Glad to see Rosie is back working the phones at Ewood after her hols! Seriously should be a good move.
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DashluvsITFC added 21:01 - Aug 10 This one is still dragging on..but should it all go through ok...andrews would be a very good signing...the competition in midfield will be something we are not used to...but could be beneficial in the long run i.e hopefully the midfielders will give it there all to nail down first team football...it's positive all round... COYB...
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