Town boss Roy Keane says he has been in discussions regarding two loan signings and may add those players to his squad next week. Keane feels he still needs additions, despite signing Grant Leadbitter, Carlos Edwards and loanee Liam Rosenior on the final day of the transfer window.
Keane said: "We’ve been in talks with two clubs over the last few days as there are two areas I still think need strengthening.
"If those deals happen, it would probably mean one or two players going out on loan. We’ll have more news on those deals certainly by early next week.”
Sunderland frontman Daryl Murphy has continued to be linked with Town — and Saturday’s opponents Middlesbrough — since the window closed, while Murphy’s Northern Irish team-mate David Healy has also been mentioned in connection with the Blues and a number of other Championship clubs.
A central defender is also amongst Keane’s targets with a move for Sheffield Wednesday’s Richard Wood having been discussed on deadline day.
If Wood, or more likely another experienced centre-half, is brought in on loan, that could see Gareth McAuley, linked with Boro and Sheffield United, move on, although Keane denies newspaper claims of an imminent exit for the Northern Irishman: "There’s no news on any of that stuff. If clubs are interested in any of my players, all they have to do is pick up the phone and ask the question. That’s what I do with other managers.”
The Blues boss says he is looking at loan signings with a view to permanent moves, although clubs are limited to signing players for a maximum of 93 days during the emergency loan period. This would mean that if the players sign next week they would have to return to their clubs for a period in December prior to making their switches permanent in January.
This will lead some sides delaying adding to their squad so as to keep their loan players for the festive period, but Keane says he would prefer the new signings now: "Possibly so given the position we’re in. We need results now, so we can’t be too clever and say ‘We’ll have him for the Christmas period’. We want him now.”
The Town manager warns that there is still a fair bit to do before the loans are confirmed: "Like any deal, it takes time. I got a message from a manager this morning and I’ve got to ring him back. If the player’s got one or two options, he’s going to take a bit of time to decide where he wants to go.
"Don’t think these deals are near, I think we’re in with a chance and we’ll wait and see and we should have some news on Monday or Tuesday.”
Keane has also revealed that there was some late interest in some of his squad on the final day of the transfer window: "We had one or two offers made to players about an hour or so before the end of transfer deadline day, which was crazy and obviously that was never going to happen."