Town have confirmed the signing of Everton defender Callum Connolly on a season-long loan.

Connolly, 19, is primarily an attacking right-back, who can also operate as a centre-half. However, Town have signed him with a view to playing on the right as cover for Jordan Spence and Dominic Iorfa, both of whom are options to play at the centre of the defence during the Blues' current centre-half injury crisis.

We understand Town are still pursuing their move for Brighton's Connor Goldson but with time appearing to be running out on that deal with the 11pm deadline approaching.

As reported this morning, the Seagulls have been unwilling to allow the 24-year-old to move out on loan until they have signed another central defender.

Delighted to have joined @Official_ITFC on loan, looking forward to the challenge ahead 👍🏻– Callum Connolly (@Callum1connolly) August 31, 2017

Liverpool-born Connolly, who has won England caps at U17, U18, U19 and U20 levels, came through the youth system at Everton, with whom he has made one Premier League sub appearance, and has previously spent time on loan at Barnsley and Wigan.

Having made three starts for the Tykes during a month-long spell towards the end of 2015/16, he spent the second half of last season with the Latics, making 15 starts and three sub appearances, scoring twice.

In the summer he was with the England U20s squad as they won their World Cup in South Korea, making appearances in two of the Young Lions' early games.

Connolly will join up with his new Town team-mates for the first time on Monday.

Photo: Action Images

Sam added 06:01 - Sep 1 Welcome Callum. So if he plays at right back, Iorfa will move into the centre. That means dropping Myles Kenlock against QPR. So here is my predicted team for that. Bart, Connoly, Spence, Iorfa, Knudsen, Waghorn, Skuse, Ward, Sears, Mcgoldrick, Garner.
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Butcherboy added 06:18 - Sep 1 So McCarthy wants an experienced CB and gets a 19 year old RB who can play CB. It's a kick in the teeth for the youngsters who played at Palace last week.
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smithy0981 added 06:38 - Sep 1 No disrespect to the lad but total total panic buy. We always seem to do this close to the deadline each year. Surely we could of had someone in in good time instead of panicking last minute, MM said there were loads of defenders they looked at but not o e of them was good enough.
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tractorboybig added 06:43 - Sep 1 WHATS WRONG WITH OUR YOUNGsters?????
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runaround added 07:08 - Sep 1 Welcome Callum
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christiand added 07:09 - Sep 1 Smithy0981 I think the phrase MM is looking for was 'cheap enough, rather than good enough!'
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BlueandTruesince82 added 07:37 - Sep 1 Big Joe to the rescue. Have to say I had wondered why we didn't move Iofra in the middle. He has played CB so makes more sense than Spence but then after how well we played..... I think a lot of Champ clubs wouldn't do business with high flying Town all of a sudden through fear we might crash the party.
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yun added 07:49 - Sep 1 Looks handy and can play across the back anywhere. A welcome addition.
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Pilgrimblue added 08:05 - Sep 1 I don't understand this at all. We clearly were looking for experienced CB so why sign a RB/CB with little Championship experience? Surely Goldson could have come on 24 hour recall. Would have preferred using one of our own youth or brought back Emmanual. No doubt MM will explain!
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ITFCBlue94 added 08:06 - Sep 1 Everton fans saying he's a Left back, as they are saying -'Who is going to be cover for Baines if he gets injured'
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vanmunt added 08:39 - Sep 1 Classic, why not just recall Josh instead of giving game time to someone else's youth. More nonsense from a nonsense manager.
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BlueBlood90 added 08:48 - Sep 1 So we haven't had a natural right back for about 5 years, we desperately needed a centre back and somehow end up with 3 right backs and no fit centre back? Why was McCarthy dilly dallying waiting so long to sign someone. Chambers got injured on the 15th August! We should've had someone in place before we played Fulham let alone deadline day!
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sowedika added 08:54 - Sep 1 Remember the last couple of years when we had a chambers at right back because we didn't have a decent RB! Now we can field a full team of RB's!! I find this funny 🤦🏻‍♂️
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BlueandTruesince82 added 09:06 - Sep 1 We can't "just recall josh" until Jan. There is no 24 he recall any more. There is mid season break clause. I have to wonder how many fans actually follow the developments of the club. As for Connolley clearly about plan D but whatnot means is Iofra who has played at CB and wants to long term can move inside. Don't need Mick to explain that one
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carsey added 09:30 - Sep 1 Well this is great. We need experienced CB to cover for injuries so we end up with a 19 year old RB/LB depending on who you listen to.
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BlueArrow added 09:43 - Sep 1 Was he gonna cost too much Gold son
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 09:59 - Sep 1 Let's face it, this was probably not what we wanted, but it was the best we could do, having already tried a number of other possibilities. No disrespect to Callum, though, as he looks a very good prospect and I'd much rather have him in than no-one at all. But why couldn't this CB business have been sorted out much earlier? Also, spare a thought for Goldson. He's probably pretty down right now, 'cos he's going back to Brighton with little prospect of playing as far as I understand it. I'm sure he'd rather have been a regular for us.

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Bergholtblue added 10:01 - Sep 1 Iorfa will go as Centre back, where he has experience and will do well for us. This new lad will be RB or the cover for the RB. We have a very good young prospect for the rest of the season. I fail to see what everyone's problem is.
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RoyalAscotBlue added 10:02 - Sep 1 Sounds like good young versatile player so he is very welcome in that respect. Not what the manager said we were looking for or need though. Only 8 months to go...
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BobbyBell added 10:16 - Sep 1 Josh sent out on loan, the Wolf waiting in the wings and has already impressed. WHY THIS??
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cat added 10:44 - Sep 1 A lot of positivity on here, not sure if all posters are venting their real thoughts!! The fact that we never replaced Berra is where the original problem lies. I could mention a dozen posters on here who have been banging on about that very fact for the last couple of months. Looking at the bigger picture, yes we have 3 CB'S out injured, but out of those 3, only Webster is any kop anyhow, and he's the one who appears to be struggling the most. Defensive we are weak, and i feel that is going to cost us, BIG TIME

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Blue041273 added 11:24 - Sep 1 There are mixed messages on here. Ok it's a massive disappointment that the need for a quality CB hasn't been realised. But a permanent acquisition of a quality would be expensive. Realistically a loan was the only option at this stage. We need to understand that getting the right player is not like going to Tesco's and picking one off the shelf. The host club and the player need to be convinced that move is all their best interests and the financials have to right for all parties. I can understand why Brighton wouldn't sanction the Goldson loan. They would be a useful player short even though they can't guarantee him a game in the EPL. However I too believe that we should have replaced Berra immediately we agreed to release him. I believe that we have done well to mitigate the problems at the back by acquiring CC for the season. He is highly thought of at Everton and gives us more options. He has played for England at junior levels and is a good prospect. He won't block the development of our youngsters if they prove to be good enough.

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oldegold added 12:27 - Sep 1 Totally ridiculous loan signing.Once again McCarthy shows scant regard for the youngsters and we have a good player in Emmanuel who should be in the team and not at Rotherham.Even though Everton's youth pedigree is as good as ours, we certainly didn't need this lad. We need goals to get us up...more attacking play and belief in our youngsters and not just use them to field a weakened team so McCarthy can keep his dismal cup record going and trot out his usual excuse of giving them experience. What experience when they just get shunted back into oblivion.

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