TWTD understands Town are closing in on the loan signing of Birmingham City midfielder Stephen Gleeson.

Speaking earlier today, Blues boss Mick McCarthy said he was hopeful of adding someone to his squad before Saturday’s game at Bolton and Gleeson is that player with the move set to be confirmed on Friday.

The 29-year-old is well-known to McCarthy having been at Wolves during his time as boss at Molineux.

Dubliner Gleeson played youth football with Cherry Orchard before joining Wolves in 2006.

Loan spells at Stockport (three times), Hereford and the MK Dons followed before he joined the Buckinghamshire side on a permanent basis in July 2009 having made only one League Cup start and three league sub appearances for Wolves.

After five years with MK, the 5ft 9in tall midfielder moved on to Birmingham in 2014.

This season Gleeson, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has made only seven appearances (five in the Championship) with his most recent first-team game in early December.

He has won four Republic of Ireland full caps, scoring once, in addition to appearances at U17, U18, U19 and U21 levels.

Meanwhile, reports claim Werder Bremen, Espanyol and Torino are keen to sign Town loanee Bersant Celina during the January window.

However, the Manchester City man leaving the Blues is unlikely with the season-long loan deal understood to be along the same lines as Tom Lawrence's last season which required the agreement of all three parties - the player and the two clubs - for it to be cut short.

Photo: Action Images

Cloddyseedbed added 20:01 - Jan 18 The owner of this football club is a disgrace. How he allows a manager to walk away on his terms at the end of the season and the squad to be in limbo with no good signings on the cards as yet. As usual we will do our business late on in the window scraping up what's left of the dregs as loans. Can't sign anybody any good who clubs don't want to get rid of just other club cast offs who they are pleased to get rid of and we soon get to find out why! Not played for ages, not match fit or injury prone. God, give me strength!! Evans if you don't want a successful club or can't raise enough money to sign players who are younger, fit and want to progress why the hell don't you get out. We want to see a team being built, not consistently taken apart. Your policy is making fans turn their back in droves. I don't mind players being moved on if the replacements are better.

6

Cakeman added 20:03 - Jan 18 I agree DiamondGeezer every new player deserves a chance. However probably like many others I am guilty of being negative with anything and everything McCarthy tries. This is because I have become completely disillusioned by McCarthy, Evans and the club in general. For me it is too broken to repair which is why I am usually negative. Sad but true.
6

midastouch added 20:06 - Jan 18 In the general spirit of positivity on here tonight... If at first you don't succeed, cry and cry again!
2

WashbrookBlue added 20:09 - Jan 18 Yep diamond geezer, time was also on here when people might at least know what position he plays? But you know what they say about opinions.... for me, i'm surprised he's not playing for Brum, and have always seen him as a good passer of the ball, something we haven't had since Jim in midfield.
7

TimmyH added 20:13 - Jan 18 You gotta laugh, a loan signing from a struggling Birmingham team who are not even playing him BUT Mick has had him under his wing at his 'heady' Wolves days (yes almost a generation ago) and he's also Irish!
1

GiveusaWave added 20:21 - Jan 18 I don't know why so many people are talking about him playing centre-back, because he's not a centre-back. As the article says at the top, he's a midfielder. . He's Irish, ex-Wolves and close to 30...ticks all the boxes for MM. Let's watch him play before we annihilate him though.... It seems he's not been in the Birmingham side through lack of ability...but injury.

5

emergencylime added 20:23 - Jan 18 Lads, lets be fair here, he is cover so the academy lads don't burn out. ME is probably saving the Moore cash for the new manager, as he senses the end of the MM era is nigh. Welcome Stephen, an experienced player who is itching to get a game in no doubt.
2

ArnieM added 20:27 - Jan 18 Oops !! Sorry guys !
2

ArnieM added 20:29 - Jan 18 Oops !! Sorry guys !
1

cat added 20:32 - Jan 18 Being a McCarthy proper bloke of a player, he might well improve the team. Same goes for Chambers and Skuse, both are doing a good job with the tactics and system we employ, put them in a team that plays proper football, then they are simply well out their depth. Could be a useful signing.
2

braveblue added 20:34 - Jan 18 Happy clappy fans saying let's wait and see. No!! Let's compkain now. Dreadful signing.
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hampstead_blue added 20:45 - Jan 18 Are we at that embarrassing stage again? Any player who can't get into the Brum team must be shoot hot!
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 20:54 - Jan 18 Not inspiring is it? Hope he does well but......
2

dirtydingusmagee added 20:57 - Jan 18 intercept12, ,with respect, not knocking you, but we cant even be sure McCarthy wont be staying. Gleeson , yer Gleeson ,mmm sounds good he can be Gleesie, yep that sounds ok, better than Hyamsy.yep he will do. ......Marcus we need to sign Gleesie on loan,the name fits.
1

gosblue added 21:01 - Jan 18 Bru's replacement no more, no less. Give the lad a chance.
3

yungblue added 21:02 - Jan 18 First of all he's a midfielder. People are very quick to slag players off without seeing them. He's actually a very technically good player. Midfield numbers are what we need. Wage bill will be in the right ball park. A lot of championship experience. Makes good sense.
8

wayway added 21:03 - Jan 18 Firstly it is not the players fault and I wish him well but does this not sum up how far this once great club has fallen under Evans PLC. That we have to resort to a loan player who cannot get into a team that is even worse than our own. At the risk of repeating myself, there must be a concerted effort to get Evans PLC out NOW. Looking ahead to the Wolves game I expect the PLC have been in touch with their usual model agency to book someone to play 'Marcus Evans' for that game as were are playing the league leaders

2

Kikapu added 21:17 - Jan 18 Wayway, stop living in the past. Let's face it our days of realistically lengthened existence in the top flight are gone. We should be satisfied with good competitive games where we are in the best second division in the world .
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Essexnblue added 21:50 - Jan 18 Usual lack of knowledge, if we don't sign Messi then things are desperate. Gleeson is a midfielder who has spent the last 3 seasons as a regular in a Birmingham team, that have either been on a par or better than us. If Adams, Jota, Gardner and Maghoma cant get in there team then what does that tell you as all have cost huge money and would walk in our team. All of them are either on the bench or not selected, last week Cotterill stated that his hands are tied regarding certain players selection. I think like most of MM signings that we will get more than value for money.

5

mparkyn added 22:03 - Jan 18 Experienced midfielder for the rest of the season until Dozell, Huws and Co can return. May try hard for a contract. Why is this a bad deal ?
6

blue75 added 22:21 - Jan 18 I would've once looked at this possible signing as could be good for all. At 29 he's not too old, he's outta contract in the summer will want to prove his worth, a good stop gap whilst our midfield recovers from all our injuries. But I stopped reading after ex wolves and Irish I presume another one of Mick's gang. If we sign Gleesy I hope he proves me wrong but I'll just expect another proper bloke!!

1

Pilgrimblue added 23:03 - Jan 18 4 points off the playoffs and Mick gets one of his old boys!! Pathetic I don't wish him ill BUT here was a chance to make top 6 and he's blown it. TO$$ER Yes we need cover at CB but unless Mick knows that some of our mids are coming back soon this is a wasted opportunity
0

BluedanW added 23:10 - Jan 18 He can't get anywhere near the first team of Birmingham who are sat second from bottom, otherwise they would never loan him out. Desperation in January just like last year when we signed a load of no hopers and only succeeded in raising the wage bill. Lucky kieffer Moore has made a profit, however if you take away his wages it still goes down as a loss
0

BigHibbs added 23:19 - Jan 18 Few people missing the point. Ipswich don't need to go out and buy a centre midfield player. They already have 10 . This is just cover while a few players come back from injury. Why go and spend money on a player that would have to be very good and expensive to get back on the side once huws hyam Bishop nydam Adeyemi Downes and dozzell all come back
2

BigHibbs added 23:19 - Jan 18 Few people missing the point. Ipswich don't need to go out and buy a centre midfield player. They already have 10 . This is just cover while a few players come back from injury. Why go and spend money on a player that would have to be very good and expensive to get back on the side once huws hyam Bishop nydam Adeyemi Downes and dozzell all come back
1

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