Robbie Brady broke his childhood friend’s club transfer record at Burnley on a busy deadline day for Irish players,
.Jeff Hendrick had set the record mark of £10.5million (€12.3m) last August, on the summer deadline day, and yesterday Brady joined his ex-St Kevin’s Boys teammate at Turf Moor for a £13million (€15.2m) fee.
One of the latest deals to go through on deadline day was Under-21 international Jack Byrne’s move to Wigan from Manchester City. He was the relegation-threatened Latics’ eighth and final deal of the day, with news of the permanent deal announced just after midnight.
Defender Marc Wilson linked up with his former manager Tony Pulis as he completed a loan move to West Brom. Wilson, who has 25 Ireland caps, hasn’t played a league game for Bournemouth since moving to the south coast last August, although Eddie Howe said he was “reluctant to lose another defender”.
Another international moving on loan was striker Conor Sammon. The Hearts’ frontman moves to Scottish Premiership rivals Kilmarnock until the end of the season.
Ireland-eligible striker Scott Hogan, like Brady, sealed his long-anticipated £12million (€14m) transfer. The prolific striker switched 13th-placed Brentford for 14th-placed Aston Villa, and will be joined at the big-spending Championship side by Corkman Conor Hourihane. Hourihane made Villa debut in a 3-0 loss to Brentford last night.
As Hogan arrives at Villa Park, 20-year-old Kevin Toner was on the way out, heading on loan to Bradford City. He had been at fellow League One side Walsall for the first half of the season.
Preston North End’s contingent of Irish players will be reduced to five until the end of the season as Eoin Doyle exits on loan for League Two side Portsmouth. He was infamously sent-off for an on-field bust-up with teammate Jermaine Beckford in December.
Ex-underage international Sean Murray, who has played 23 times for Swindon Town this season, moved down a division to League Two Colchester United on an 18-month deal.
Alex Bruce, who played twice for the Republic of Ireland before switching allegiances and gaining two more caps with Northern Ireland, left Hull City to join Jack Byrne at Wigan.
And finally, Under-19 Everton winger Steven Kinsella has returned to Ireland for a loan spell with League of Ireland champions Dundalk.