Irish transfer latest: Adam Idah seals Celtic loan move as Mikey Johnston departs Bhoys for West Brom

Idah had interest from Italy before making a surprise move to Glasgow although his performances between now and the end of the season will determine if it’s a long term switch.

“It’s such a huge club with such a big history behind it and I can’t even put into words what it’s like to be at Celtic,” said the 22-year-old, who has made 115 appearances for Norwich, his first professional club. He has scored 17 goals, with seven of those coming this season.

Johnston has relocated to West Brom until the end of the season with the winger in need of gametime after struggling for opportunities under Brendan Rodgers.

The 24-year-old spent last season in Portugal with Vitoria Guimaraes and had hopes of re-establishing himself with his boyhood club this term but a pre-season injury hindered his prospects.

Idah and Johnston were the highest profile Irish players on the move on deadline day with attacking players central to most of the business.

There was also a late loan move to QPR for Ireland U-21 captain Joe Hodge who has been on the fringes at Wolves this term and will now expect to get minutes at Championship level.

Georgie Kelly has left Rotherham to drop down a division and sign for League One side Carlisle on a permanent basis.

The former League of Ireland star was a massive fan favourite at Rotherham, scoring a memorable goal that secured promotion to the Championship on his debut in April 2022.

However, he has been denied a regular run of games in the second tier, with 17 of his 18 outings this term coming off the bench.

Carlisle are battling to avoid the drop from League One so Kelly will immediately assume a prominent role in his new abode. He will join a fellow LOI man in the shape of Seani Maguire; he has failed to meet expectations there after his move from Coventry.

Fleetwood Town are also engaged in that battle and, as expected, they have wrapped up a deal for St Patrick's Athletic striker Tommy Lonergan after triggering a €60,000 buyout clause in his deal.

The press release stated that he will come into contention for their game at the weekend but LOI eyes will be monitoring his involvement in the coming weeks with the Saints resistant to the idea of selling to Fleetwood in case they loaned Lonergan to sister club Waterford - the Blues had been trying to sign the front man in the LOI off season but the clause in his contract only applied to buyers from outside of Ireland.

As flagged by the Irish Independent earlier this week, Fleetwood have also sealed the loan arrival of Gavin Kilkenny from Bournemouth.

Former Cork City and Waterford striker Aaron Drinan was another late mover, leaving Leyton Orient to sign for League Two side Swindon. Callum Kavanagh, the son of ex-Irish international Graham, will also be active in the fourth tier after completing a permanent switch from Middlesbrough

Another player on the way out of Rotherham is Northern Ireland U-21 international Ciaran McGuckin and Kelly will be able to give him advice about his new club and manager - the front man has signed for Dundalk on loan until the summer. McGuckin has made three Championship appearances as a sub this season.

First Division promotion chasers Cork City have also brought in a player from across the water with Nathan Wood arriving on loan from Newport County.

The 26-year-old Welshman came off the bench in Newport's FA Cup tie with Manchester United last Sunday but will now focus on a fresh challenge.

Preston have rejected a late bit from Italian side Salernitana to sign Ireland midfielder Alan Browne before the transfer window closes while Adam Idah is today in Glasgow to complete his loan move to Celtic.

Browne is out of contract at the end of this season and his long-term future has been a concern for some figures at the club with fears that he will leave on a free transfer at the end of the season while the fact that Browne did not start in the last two games for the club and was only used as a sub was seen as another sign of the frustration over the lack of urgency from Browne in signing a new deal.

Salernitana, bottom of Serie A, were aware of his situation and earlier this week lodged a bid with Preston to sign him on a long-term contract but the fee, in the low six figures, was well below Preston’s valuation of the Cork native and the bid was rejected, leaving Salernitana with little time to rescue the deal before the window closes.

Last week, manager Ryan Lowe ruled out a move for any of their players. "Nobody will leave this month, because we need all the players we have to collect as many points as we possibly can,” he said, but it’s believed that a strong offer for Browne could have secured his exit.

Earlier, manager Lowe confirmed that the club had offered Browne a new deal which the player had yet to sign.

"The commitment from the football club to offer contracts, for me, is massive. Then it is over to players as to whether they choose to do that. Alan knows what he is and what he has done for the football club,” he said.

“He will continue to do that when picked and when selected. If he is here next season, then great. If he is not and moves on somewhere else, then no problem. Footballers come and go, along with managers and coaching staff.”

Celtic plan to unveil Idah as their new signing later today as he was spotted in Glasgow ahead of contract talks. Idah is contracted to Norwich until 2028 but is keen to move on after a frustrating spell at the Canaries.

It’s thought it will initially be a loan deal, with his future to be assessed in the summer, as boss Brendan Rodgers is aware of criticism from sections of the Bhoys support over having so many loan players.

"Ideally you want to have players who you know are going to be here for a few seasons to grow and develop. But there always has to be a balance between both loan players and permanent signings. Permanent signings aren’t always possible,” Rodgers said.

"Having had the experience here before there’s always going to be that revolving door. You’ll always have that core of players who you want to keep here but if you look at the movement of squads here over two-to-three-year periods, that’s always going to happen. In the modern game you have to be able to adapt to that.”

Elsewhere, Northern Ireland U-21 striker Ciaran McGuckin will spend the first half of 2024 on loan at Dundalk from Championship side Rotherham United.

The 20-year-old came through Rotherham’s academy before earning his senior debut in October 2021. He made three Championship appearances last August but has been on the bench since and is keen to gain more first-team experience now at Oriel Park.

The Leeds native admits ex-Dundalk front man Georgie Kelly, who arrived at Rotherham two years ago, helped him decide to make the move to Ireland.

“Georgie couldn’t speak highly enough about the people at the club and the league itself. He told me it’s a very competitive league that is growing season by season,” said McGuckin, who has been a regular for Northern Ireland’s U-21s of late.

“I knew I needed to go out and get some game time to help with my developmentI wanted to do that at a high level and I have that here at Dundalk.

"I know my accent doesn’t sound like it but my dad’s from Belfast and he’s been living in Newry for the last six or seven years. I actually know this area quite well from being over with him and his side of the family and I played at Oriel Park when I was younger with the Northern Ireland underage sides so I’m looking forward to getting back out there in a Dundalk shirt.”

Lilywhites head coach Stephen O’Donnell hailed the striker’s versatility, adding: “He can play in any of the front three positions and he will give us pace and lots of work rate which we demand from any player in those positions. There’s a personal side to it as well in that his father lives in Newry and can come up and watch him play every week.”

Meanwhile, Callum Kavanagh has completed a permanent move to League Two side Bradford City for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old striker, son of former Ireland midfielder Graham, has decided to leave Middlesbrough to sign a two-and-a-half year deal at Valley Parade.

Kavanagh had been at Middlesbrough’s academy since U-9 level, progressing through the academy before earning his first-team debut last year.

But after spending most of this season with the U-21s, Kavanagh has now opted to depart the club in search of first-team football and is relishing a “new chapter” in his career.

“It feels brilliant to be here. It is a huge club with huge ambitions. This is a new chapter in my career that I am really looking forward to,” he said, with his new club currently sitting 18th in League Two.

"This is what I need at this stage of my career and this club gives me a platform to progress as a player and hopefully achieve promotion.”

“Calum is a player who will bring pace and energy to our forward line, and obviously a goal threat. We feel he is at the stage now where he wants his career to kick off. He is hungry to be successful, and I believe he will get the chance here,” added Bantams boss Graham Alexander.

Former UCD defender Eric Yoro is bound for Belfast as Bolton Wanderers have agreed to loan him to Cliftonville.

Dubliner Yoro (19) broke into the UCD side in 2022, having moved to Belfield from Stella Maris, and after a run in the team in their Premier Division campaign, Bolton swooped to sign him in July 2022.

Yoro spent time with Wanderers' U21 squad but was unable to force his way into the first team and he will now spend the second half of the season with Belfast side Cliftonville ahead of a potential permanent move in the summer.

Canadian defender David Norman has returned to his home country after a successful spell with St Patrick's Athletic.

Previously with Northampton Town, Norman helped the Saints win the FAI Cup last season and also secure a top-three finish but with his contract there up, hometown club Vancouver FC made an approach and he's signed a deal. His exit takes to five the number of players from the Saints' startling XI in that Cup final who have since left the club, following Dean Lyness, Sam Curtis, Conor Carty and Mark Doyle.

“I played alongside some great, very well-respected senior centre-backs in both Northampton and St. Patrick’s that I think have helped my game immensely,” he said. “Tactically, I’ve grown in the position; I think I’ve grown physically as well, in what a top-level centre-back needs. Put that along with the technical aspect, my left foot; I like to think that the past year has really helped me in my development as a player in that position.”

Fleetwood Town have sent Irish youngster Cian Hayes back on loan to non-league side Rochdale for the rest of the season. The 20-year-old forward, capped at youth level, had spent time with Rochdale earlier this season but was recalled by League One strugglers Fleetwood, though that loan's now been renewed.