Derby County have wrapped up a loan extension for Michael Keane, and are now hoping to sign Simon Dawkins on a permanent transfer.
England Under-21 international defender Keane joined the Rams from Manchester United last month, but his deal expired after the New Year’s Day home defeat to Wigan Athletic. Manager Steve McClaren has made no secret of his desire to retain the 20-year-old, and he has now persuaded the Reds to let him keep the player until the end of January.
United have also given the Pride Park club permission to play Keane in the FA Cup, so he will likely feature against Chelsea in the third round clash at the weekend. It is also expected that the Championship club, who remain well placed to launch a promotion bid this season, will aim to keep the youngster for the remainder of the campaign.
McClaren will now turn his attention to signing Dawkins on a permanent basis. The 26-year-old has failed to make a single Premier League appearance since joining Tottenham Hotspur in 2008, and has had loan stints at Leyton Orient, San Jose Earthquakes and, last season, he made four top-flight appearances during a spell at Aston Villa.
The attacking midfielder has been at Derby since October, following an impressive trial, and he has gone on to score three goals in 12 appearances. With his future at White Hart Lane looking bleak, the Rams have confirmed they hope to sign the Edgware-born forward on a permanent basis and plan to have the deal wrapped up shortly.
