Rovers and Owls beat loan deadline to bolster squads

From 5pm tomorrow, there is a block on loan deals for just over five weeks until the transfer window re-opens for both temporary and permanent signings on New Year’s Day.

With seven fixtures during this period, managers up and down the country are understandably keen to ensure they have enough players in their squad to cope.

Goulon, 23, is the latest foreign player to move to the Keepmoat Stadium as part of the link-up between Rovers and agent Willie McKay.

His arrival, on loan until January from Blackburn Rovers, came less than 24 hours after Senegalese international centre-back Habib Beye agreed to sign a three-month loan deal from Aston Villa.

Rovers manager Dean Saunders is also talking with defender Lamine Diatte, who has captained Senegal, played in the 2002 World Cup, and won the French title with Lyon.

Now 36, Diatte has spent the last few years with a variety of different clubs including Newcastle United, Hamilton Academical and Al-Ahli of Qatar.

He has trained with Rovers this week and is interested in the possibility of a move despite Rovers’ current position six points adrift of safety at the bottom of the Championship.

Saunders is determined to shake up his new club and has already pulled off deals to bring El-Hadji Diouf, Herita Ilunga and Pascal Chimbonda to the Keepmoat Stadium.

Chimbonda, however, will not be available for the next four weeks due to a torn hip flexor.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Gary Megson also completed his second signing in less than 24 hours yesterday when Spanish defender Miguel Llera moved to Hillsborough on loan from Blackpool.

Llera, 32, was recalled early from a loan spell at Brentford in order to move and is now aiming to win a permanent contract with the Owls.

“This is a really big chance for me that I want to take,” he said. “I’ve already played twice at Hillsborough this season; the first was in the cup with Blackpool and the other was three weeks ago with Brentford – which feels strange – but now I am ready to defend for the colours of this club.”

Newcastle United defender James Tavernier joined the Owls on loan on Monday bringing further cover at right-back or centreback.

However, Megson is also looking for a striker in the loan market after X-rays confirmed Gary Madine will be sidelined for the next six weeks with a broken toe.

Madine, the club’s 11-goal leading marksman, limped off with the injury during Saturday’s away win at Tranmere Rovers.

Barnsley manager Keith Hill admits that his priority is a creative midfield player.

The Tykes completed a loan move for troubled Newcastle United striker Nile Ranger last weekend and Hill has been linked with Manchester City’s Israeli international Gai Assulin and Rochdale’s Joe Thompson.

“There’s been a lot of paper talk but we have a few permutations,” he said. “Ideally, I want a utility player who can play midfield or wide.

“I am looking for a ‘technician’, someone who can unlock doors. I want another one to give us more competition for places.”

Assulin, 20, has yet to play for City’s first team since moving from Barcelona two summers ago so an opportunity to gain experience with a Championship club would suit all parties in the short term.

Rochdale midfielder Thompson was eager to join the Tykes a few weeks ago but talks between the two clubs stalled.

As reported, striker James Beattie is currently training with Sheffield United with a view to signing a short-term deal.

The former England international needs to prove his fitness after a brief spell out of the game and is also looking to play higher up the league pyramid.

But a temporary return to Bramall Lane, where he enjoyed his football four years ago, would still provide a useful shop window for Beattie and help the Blades’ promotion push.

Matt Phillips and Billy Clarke, who both made good impressions on loan for the Blades recently, are back in Blackpool’s first-team plans so that door, for now, is closed.

Rotherham United manager Andy Scott, meanwhile, is set to make a decision on former Hamilton Academical defender David Elebert.

Without a club since the summer, Dublin-born Elebert, 25, has been training with the Millers and played in reserve team games against Scunthorpe United and Derby County.

Scott has also circulated the names of players who will be allowed to leave the club on loan and that list is believed to include summer signings Troy Brown and Ben Pringle and midfielder Oliver Banks.