Boss Roy Keane says Jon Stead’s move to Bristol City is set to be confirmed today and that the Blues also expect to sign a new striker, Wigan’s Jason Scotland. Town and the Robins have set a £225,000 fee for Stead, who agreed a three-year deal at Ashton Gate last week.
Keane said: "I think that’s going to be done today. Steady’s gone down there and we’ve agreed a deal. I spoke to him yesterday and he’s agreed personal terms, so that looks like it’s done and dusted.”
"He goes with our best wishes because he’s done well for us in recent weeks when we’ve had a lot of injuries and one or two other strikers leaving the club. We wish him well, we’re disappointed to lose him, but that’s the situation we face at the moment.”
The Blues boss says he is hopeful that there could be a replacement, Wigan’s Jason Scotland, arriving this afternoon: "We hope to get one in today. We’ve given the thumbs up for Steady to go to Bristol, so I’m pretty sure that that deal will be done and dusted later today, otherwise we’d have held on to Steady.
"That’ll be three strikers out and one in, but we hope to maybe get one or two in over the next few weeks, probably loan deals and we’ll just go with what we’ve got.
"The international week gives us a couple of weeks to try and get some of our injured boys back. The way we were doing on Saturday we’re getting away with it, but over the course of the season any more injuries and we’ll be in trouble, but fingers crossed, so far the players are doing well.”
Town and the Latics recently agreed a £750,000 deal for Scotland but the move was put on hold while Wigan looked for a replacement for the 31-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international.
The Blues manager dismissed weekend reports claiming he was about to make a £4 million last move for Cardiff's Michael Chopra.
Keane says that Darren O’Dea will be OK to face Crewe on Tuesday, but is yet to decide whether Grant Leadbitter will be involved having returned more quickly than expected from his ankle injury.