Town are set to sign Sheffield Wednesday central defender Richard Wood, according to reports this evening. The 24-year-old was previously linked with the Blues, Crystal Palace, Sheffield United and Coventry City back in June.
Wood, who is said to be costing Town £800,000, has only a year left on his contract at Hillsborough, although earlier in the summer Owls manager Brian Laws said he was confident that the 6ft 3in tall defender would put pen to paper on new terms.
The Osset-born player came through Wednesday's youth system and is their longest-serving player, having made his first team debut in 2003.
A Wednesday supporter, he was named joint-captain along with Steve Watson last summer but handed in a transfer request in September, which was rejected by the the club. Interest from Crystal Palace, Birmingham City and Coventry City was subsequently reported.
In November last year, Wednesday exercised an option to extend Wood's contract by a year until the summer of 2010.
In 2005/06 Wood was included in a Football League Select side which faced an Italian Serie B team and has now made 171 starts and 12 sub appearances for his only club, scoring eight goals, two of them coming in his last two games.
A central defender appears to be one of Roy Keane’s priorities during the final hours of the transfer window with Celtic’s Darren O’Dea linked over the weekend.
The former Irish U21 international skipper is now said to have signed a new contract with the Bhoys but is set to join a Championship side who aren’t Town on loan tomorrow. Wolves are also reported to be interested in a temporary switch.
Elsewhere, young Spanish striker Joselu, believed to be interesting the Blues earlier in the summer, has signed for Real Madrid from Celta Vigo, but has immediately been loaned back to his former club.