Villa set for transfer deadline-day scramble
Monday 31st January 2011, 11:27AM GMT.
Gerard Houllier faced a frantic transfer deadline day at Villa with as many as six players involved in potential deals before the window shuts.
Villa confirmed a loan deal for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Michael Bradley will be completed later today.
The 23-year-old America international is undergoing a medical and agreeing personal terms and the move will be finalised shortly.
Houllier is also considering whether to do a late deal for Blackburn defender Christopher Samba with Rovers prepared to let the centre-back, who is out of contract in18 months’ time, leave for a nominal fee.
Houllier remains a fan of Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam but that deal now looks highly unlikely with the claret and blues unwilling to meet the asking price.
A clutch of Villa players are also set to leave the club on loan, headed by midfielder Stephen Ireland, who underwent a medical at Newcastle yesterday after the clubs reached agreement on the payment of his wages.
Ireland, who arrived at Villa Park as a makeweight in James Milner’s £27m move to Manchester City, had fallen out of favour with Houllier and will join the Magpies until the end of the season with the view to a permanent switch in the summer.
Villa are also hoping to strike an agreement with Liverpool which would allow left-back Stephen Warnock to join his former club on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
A loan fee of around £500,000 has been agreed for Warnock but the two clubs have yet to reach a compromise on exactly how much of Warnock’s wages will be paid by the Reds.
Reserve team midfielder Isaiah Osbourne has been allowed to join League One Sheffield Wednesday on temporary basis until the end of the season.
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