Town boss Kieran McKenna says there’s a possibility that Harry Clarke could go out on loan with Sheffield Wednesday understood to be eyeing the right-back, but that there are no plans for Cieran Slicker or Ali Al-Hamadi to move out at the present time, although that could change.

Clarke, 23, looks less likely to get regular football with Town now the Blues have signed Ben Godfrey on loan from Atalanta and McKenna confirmed a loan could be on the cards with the Owls known to be among a number of interested Championship clubs.

“There's a possibility that Harry Clarke will go out on loan, a possibility at the moment,” McKenna said. “Me and Harry have had those conversations. He's an important player for us, a very good player.

“He had a big surgery [on both achilles tendons] and played through some injury at the back end of last season. He had big surgery in the summer, so he missed a few months of football. 

“He has had some minutes now in the Premier League and some exposure but for his age as a young defender it's important to be getting minutes regularly for his progression and for his role at the club.

“So, if everything is in a good place in the squad over the next week or two from an availability point of view, there's a chance that Harry will go out on loan to get some regular playing time to keep pushing with his development.

And that's the only one, really. Other than that, the squad is pretty tight at the moment. Everyone's got a really clear role into the team and I wouldn't expect too many changes to that in the next couple of weeks.”

Regarding the potential for keeper Slicker, 22, to go out on loan, freeing up a space in the 25-man Premier League squad, McKenna added: “Again, there's been some discussions, but Cieran's playing a really important role in the team.

“For sure, he needs senior experience at some point. Whether that's in this window or in the summer or coming up, at some point he will have the opportunity and will need to go out and play senior games.

“We still feel like he's improving a lot. He's getting better month by month at the club. So, he certainly hasn't plateaued and he's had some good exposure to international football as well.

“So, at the moment, he's got a really important part to play in the club and any other discussions over the matter will take place between Cieran and us. But he's playing a really good part in the squad at the moment.”

It’s understood Al-Hamadi would have joined Derby County in the summer had Town added another striker on deadline day but McKenna says there are no immediate plans to send the Iraqi international out, although that could change if the Blues sign another frontman, as they hope to before the end of the window.

“It's a big if,” McKenna said when asked about Hamadi potentially going out on loan. “I think we like to have three centre forwards in the building, or three people who are comfortable in that role in the building, because we know that we always use two in pretty much every game.

“Since I've been here, it's very rare for us not to use two strikers. And, of course, if you lose one, then you're a lot shorter. So we want to have three forwards in the building.

“Hopefully, if George Hirst can come through the very last bit now, then we'll have Liam [Delap], George and Ali in the building, which leaves us in a pretty good position.

“And if we go like that to the end of the season, then we'll have some strong options there. If there are any changes in that, then, of course, the situation could change for the players here.

“So, at the moment, hopefully George gets back and we'll have the three of those, and that gives us the base to work from that we want.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Leejames99 added 15:16 - Jan 10 Kmck played that really well, such a good manager and wordsmith.
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Len_Brennan added 15:25 - Jan 10 The loan deal for Clarke must be all but done so; KMcK would never be so direct & forthcoming in an answer to a possible move, in or out, unless it had already been agreed.
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Bazza8564 added 15:28 - Jan 10 Cards being played very close to chest, just as it should be.... We've seen and heard a lot of old school managers "giving it large" with speculation and all sorts over the last 20-30 years, it's refreshing to actually feel there are people with integrity in the game, and at our club. But it's fun reading between the lines too!
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Edmundo added 16:08 - Jan 10 I should think Ali and Slicker will remain as long as we are in the Cup, then loaned out. Assuming we get loans in that is....
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Carberry added 17:39 - Jan 10 I don't see Ali as an option.
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ITFC_Singapore added 18:21 - Jan 10 Nicely managed and worded, but we will sign a striker and AAH will 100% leave on loan this month.
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Linkboy13 added 09:09 - Jan 11 It's obvious to those who actually watch the game that Ali is way off the pace of Premier league football does ok for about 10 minutes then looks knackered. This has nothing to do with lack of match fitness it's a lack of Athleticism at Premier league level.
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