Grant and Purse undergo summer surgery while Irvine juggles funds

SHEFFIELD Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant and captain Darren Purse have gone under the knife in an attempt to be fit for the start of next season.

Grant, who may yet be a target for Championship clubs, needed minor surgery on a shoulder problem while Purse had been troubled by a toe injury during the club's slide towards relegation.

Defender Richard Hinds (heel) is another who has undergone surgery this month while midfielder Darren Potter has received cortizone injections to sort out a foot problem.

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Irvine, who has opened talks with a number of players about possible moves to Hillsborough, said: "Hopefully, all the players who needed some form of treatment or operation this summer will be fit and ready for the start of pre-season training in July."

Having been given the details of his transfer budget – which can only be a reduction on last season's 6.5m – Irvine now has to juggle his resources in an attempt to bring in eight new players.

"As a manager, you would always love to have more money to spend but I understand the financial situation at the club and I am satisified that the board have done their best," he said.

"It probably is a competitive budget but I have enquired about a lot of players already who are simply out of our price range. Unless you are the wealthiest club in the world, every signing often has to be a compromise."

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Irvine has received no enquiries for any of his prize assets and would be happy for the situation to stay like that.

"I am trying to build a squad and I don't want to lose anyone," he said.

"But in football, clubs seeking to prise players away from other clubs tend to wait until later in the summer so they don't have to pay the extra wages."

Goalkeeper Gary Woods has agreed a new one-year deal to stay on at Doncaster Rovers as cover for Neil Sullivan.

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The former Manchester United trainee, 19, moved to the Keepmoat Stadium last season and made one appearance as substitute.

Norwich City have beaten Doncaster to the signature of Coventry City defender Elliott Ward.

Ward, 25, was on loan at Rovers last season and had been targetted to fill the hole created by Jason Shackell's switch to Barnsley.