SUNDERLAND
Chris Coleman’s attempts to add to his squad are gathering pace, with the Sunderland manager having made a formal approach for Wolves midfielder Ben Marshall.
Marshall, who can play at either right-back or right-midfield, is expected to leave Molineux on loan this month, having not featured for the Championship leaders’ first team since the start of November.
The former Leicester and Blackburn player would provide Coleman with some useful options down the right-hand side, and the Sunderland boss is hoping to push through a deal ahead of next Tuesday’s trip to relegation rivals Birmingham City.
He will have to fight off competition from a number of other Championship sides though, with Marshall having attracted interest from at least three other clubs.
Coleman is also hoping to tie up a deal for Chris Martin, although the Derby striker continues to ponder his future at the Rams’ winter training camp in Dubai.
Both Sunderland and Reading have tabled loan offers for the striker, with Sunderland willing to consider an 18-month loan option if it persuades Derby to release the Scotland international.
NEWCASTLE
Newcastle will complete their first January signing in the next 24 hours, with Chelsea full-back Kenedy having travelled to the North-East last night.
The Brazil international caught a train from London to Newcastle after Chelsea boss Antonio Conte finally gave him the green light to complete a loan move until the end of the season.
He will undergo a medical this morning, and provided there are no unforeseen problems, will be formally confirmed as a Newcastle player later today.
He will not be available for Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round game with Chelsea, but could make his debut in next Wednesday’s Premier League home game with Burnley.
Once Kenedy’s arrival is confirmed, attention will switch to Newcastle’s pursuit of a striker, with talk of a possible £20m bid for a player gathering pace.
Senior sources have dismissed speculation linking the Magpies with Atletico Madrid’s Kevin Gameiro and Celtic’s Moussa Dembele, but insist Mike Ashley is prepared to break Newcastle’s transfer record this month if an attractive deal presents itself.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Middlesbrough will not be selling Adama Traore this month – no matter what West Ham United decide to offer for his services in the final week of the transfer window.
Hammers boss David Moyes is keen to add to his attacking-midfield options this month, and is known to be a firm admirer of Traore, who has blossomed under Tony Pulis in the last few weeks.
Traore scored his first Middlesbrough goal in last weekend’s 3-0 win over QPR, and Pulis is adamant he does not want to lose him this month.
Boro chairman Steve Gibson has assured his new manager that he does not have to sell anyone he does not want to, meaning Traore will be spending the second half of the season on Teesside.
Boro officials continue to field interest in a number of the club’s players, although as things stand, they are still to receive an acceptable offer for Fabio da Silva.
The full-back would like to return to Brazil for family reasons, but Boro are adamant they will not be allowing him to leave for nothing.
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