REPUBLIC OF IRELAND U21 international Tyreik Wright has joined League Two side Colchester United on loan from Aston Villa, while Deji Sotona has moved to Brentford from Nice in another temporary switch.
20-year-old Wright put pen to paper with Colchester United late on Deadline Day, on a deal which will keep the promising winger in North Essex through May.
The Cork attacker, who signed a new contract with Villa last July which is believed to run initially until the summer of 2023, has had two recent loan spells away from his parent club; first at League Two Walsall in the backend of last season, and more recently at Salford City in the same division. Wright made 18 appearances there, scoring once.
Predominantly lining out as a winger, he holds nine Ireland U21 caps having recently impressed for Jim Crawford’s young guns, scoring against Bosnia last year.
🤝 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗬𝗥𝗘𝗜𝗞 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧!
— Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) January 31, 2022
✍️ Colchester United have completed the loan signing of exciting forward, Tyreik Wright, from Aston Villa until the end of the season!👇 #ColU #DeadlineDay
Fellow Ireland youth international Sotona arrives at Brentford from Nice on loan until the end of the season.
There is also an option for the Premier League outfit to buy the 19-year-old winger at the end of the loan, as he forms part of Neil Mac Farlane’s Brentford B side.
Sotona joined Nice in September 2020, when Patrick Viera was in charge, after turning down a professional contract at Manchester United.
He had been on United’s books as a scholar following a move from Mullingar Athletic. Born in Waterford and raised in Mullingar, Sotona represented Ireland up to U16 level, though is also eligible to play for Nigeria and England.
“Deji has electrifying speed and we’ve been interested in him prior to his move to Nice,” MacFarlane said as the loan was announced.
“Our recruitment team have done a fantastic job in producing a trial game recently with the highest performing players. He did really well and we’re pleased to bring him in. It’s a good opportunity for Deji to keep his career moving forwards.
“We will push him relentlessly, as we do with all of our players, and hopefully he can have a really fruitful time here. He eliminates players with his speed, he likes to get at defenders, and hopefully he can add goals and assists at the top end of the pitch. We hope that Deji can buy into the culture within our group and if he can do that then we believe he can bring something to this club.”
✍️ Welcome to #BrentfordB, Deji Sotona!
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) January 31, 2022
The 19-year-old winger joins on loan from @ogcnice until the end of the season
Full Story 👉 https://t.co/GvV9wexwWw#BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/61EWt8g7lH
Elsewhere, Irish international striker Aiden O’Brien – who hasn’t been capped since Martin O’Neill was in charge – has joined Portsmouth on loan from fellow League One side Sunderland on loan until the end of the season.
Former Bohemians forward Ali Reghba has left Leicester City to kickstart his career at Algerian league leaders CR Belouizdad. Reghba hasn’t played for Leicester’s U23s since being sent off against Chelsea almost 11 months ago.
Jamie McGrath was not the only Irishman to join Wigan yesterday: former Irish U21 international Glen Rea has linked up with the club on loan from Luton.
Former League of Ireland defender Ryan Delaney joined Scunthorpe United on loan from Morecambe until the end of the season, while Thomas O’Connor has joined Wrexham – the club owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – on a permanent deal from Burton Albion.
Also departing Burton Albion is twice-capped Irish international goalkeeper Kieran O’Hara. He has joined Fleetwood Town on a short-term deal.
There were several other Irish Deadline Day moves, including Jeff Hendrick’s loan switch from Newcastle United to QPR, and confirmation of Cathal Heffernan’s move to AC Milan.
Ciaran Clark reportedly turned down a loan move to Middlesbrough from Newcastle.
With reporting by Gavin Cooney
