City to sign Barton but Deegan heading for exit
COVENTRY City are hoping to sign Preston North End midfielder Adam Barton * and the Sky Blues could balance their wages budget with Gary Deegan moving to Hibernian.
The pair had medicals yesterday and the respective clubs are looking to wrap up contract negotiations over the weekend.
If the two deals go through it will offer City boss Andy Thorn a radically different midfield option * Barton, a slim 6ft 2ins playmaker, replacing Deegan, the pugna cious 5ft 9ins `Pitbull' * and give both players the chance to re-boot careers that have been blighted by injuries.
Blackburn-born Barton was released by his hometown club because of a back problem but, given a second chance by neighbours Preston, earned a full cap for Northern Ireland in 2010 before switching allegiances to the Republic and chalking up five Under-21 appearances. His rapid progress saw him being talked of as a £5million Premier League prospect * Liverpool reportedly leading the chase * but that prospect was shattered in February when he suffered a horrific injury against Walsall, breaking his leg in two places and dislocating his ankle.
Although he is back in full training, 21-year-old Barton does not figure in Lilywhites boss Graham Westley's plans and has been made available for a nominal fee. and it seems as if Deegan is now surplus to requirements at the ricoh after he was given permission to head north and discuss the prospects of joining sky Blues old boy James McPake at Easter road.
seen as an exciting prospect when he arrived from Bohemians in January 2010, he suffered a stress fracture of the ankle that summer and missed virtually the whole of the 2010/11 season, returning for a 15-minute substitute stint in the final match at norwich.
He was an in-and-out performer last term and was suspended by the club for two weeks in June when a twitter exchange with McPake, which included a joking reference to the ira, was picked up by the national press.
COVENTRY City are hoping to sign Preston North End midfielder Adam Barton * and the Sky Blues could balance their wages budget with Gary Deegan moving to Hibernian.
The pair had medicals yesterday and the respective clubs are looking to wrap up contract negotiations over the weekend.
If the two deals go through it will offer City boss Andy Thorn a radically different midfield option * Barton, a slim 6ft 2ins playmaker, replacing Deegan, the pugna cious 5ft 9ins `Pitbull' * and give both players the chance to re-boot careers that have been blighted by injuries.
Blackburn-born Barton was released by his hometown club because of a back problem but, given a second chance by neighbours Preston, earned a full cap for Northern Ireland in 2010 before switching allegiances to the Republic and chalking up five Under-21 appearances. His rapid progress saw him being talked of as a £5million Premier League prospect * Liverpool reportedly leading the chase * but that prospect was shattered in February when he suffered a horrific injury against Walsall, breaking his leg in two places and dislocating his ankle.
Although he is back in full training, 21-year-old Barton does not figure in Lilywhites boss Graham Westley's plans and has been made available for a nominal fee. and it seems as if Deegan is now surplus to requirements at the ricoh after he was given permission to head north and discuss the prospects of joining sky Blues old boy James McPake at Easter road.
seen as an exciting prospect when he arrived from Bohemians in January 2010, he suffered a stress fracture of the ankle that summer and missed virtually the whole of the 2010/11 season, returning for a 15-minute substitute stint in the final match at norwich.
He was an in-and-out performer last term and was suspended by the club for two weeks in June when a twitter exchange with McPake, which included a joking reference to the ira, was picked up by the national press.