Wigan Athletic starlet secures loan exit in last hour of window

Luke Brennan, a winger for Wigan Athletic, will play the entire season on loan with The New Saints of Wales.

The 21-year-old, who played in preseason and during Latics’ Carabao Cup loss to Wrexham, just signed a new deal.

He has 20 goals for the club’s Under-21 team last season, and he hopes to continue growing by playing regularly for the first team in the Cymru Premier.

READ MORE: Kilmarnock midfielder Brad Lyons receives his first call-up the Northern Ireland  side

Uncapped Kilmarnock midfielder Brad Lyons has been included in an injury-hit Northern Ireland squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Slovenia and Kazakhstan.

Queens Park Rangers winger Paul Smyth, not capped since 2021, also returns.

But Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill is without several key players because of injury.

In addition to long-term absentees Steven Davis, Corry Evans, Stuart Dallas and Shane Ferguson, O’Neill is unable to call upon Jamal Lewis, Conor Bradley and Aaron Donnelly.

Liverpool wing-back Bradley and Nottingham Forest defender Donnelly were both involved in the last squad, while Lewis – who joined Watford on loan from Newcastle last month – pulled out of the squad before the Denmark game in June.

Leyton Orient midfielder Ethan Galbraith, Larne striker Lee Bonis, West Ham United forward Callum Marshall, unattached midfielder Sean Goss and Portsmouth midfielder Paddy Lane also miss out.

Having picked up just three points from their opening four qualifiers, Northern Ireland resume their bid to reach next summer’s Euros with trips to Slovenia on 7 September and Kazakhstan three days later.

‘Good to have experienced players back’

Speaking to BBC Sport Northern Ireland, O’Neill said he was pleased to welcome back seasoned international players such as 33-year-old Magennis and Washington, 31, after missing their experience in the defeats by Denmark and Kazakhstan in June.

“It’s good to have some of the experienced players back and particularly Josh Magennis and Conor Washington,” said O’Neill, who returned for his second spell in charge in December.

“I felt in the games in June we were a little bit inexperienced in the attacking line options that we had in the squad at that particular time.

“We’re still without five or six players obviously, particularly the lads with the longer-term injuries. Conor Bradley is a blow and Jamal Lewis being out again is a blow and Shane Ferguson.

“We’ve introduced some fresh blood into the squad as well and we have to go with a positive mindset to approach these two games.”

Rangers midfielder Davis, Leeds defender Dallas and Sunderland midfielder Evans had already been ruled out for next month’s games, but O’Neill admits he cannot “depend” on having them back involved before the conclusion of the qualifying campaign in November.

Captain Davis and Evans have not played since December and January respectively because of anterior cruciate ligament injuries, while Dallas has been out since April 2022 with a fractured femur.

He said: “Certainly we’re running out of games for them. Stuart has stepped up his recovery and I think is in a better place than he was in June, but it’s still a slow process.

“Steven had a small procedure on his knee to tidy the knee up a bit and he’s positive. I spoke to him last week.

“Realistically Corry’s return to play is somewhere around December so if we can get anything out of those three lads, we’ll be delighted to have it, but I think we shouldn’t depend on that in this campaign.”

‘Combative’ Lyons has ‘taken game to another level’

Lyons, 26, has not been capped at any level for Northern Ireland but is rewarded for his impressive start to the Scottish domestic campaign with Kilmarnock.

He scored the winner against Rangers in the opening league match of the season and played in the Viaplay Cup last-16 win over Celtic.

Lyons helped Coleraine win the Irish Cup in 2018 before joining Blackburn Rovers. Having taken in loan spells at St Mirren and Morecambe, he joined Kilmarnock in 2021 and helped them achieve promotion to the Scottish Premiership last year.

“He’s been very combative in the games that I’ve seen both against Rangers and Celtic at home and Hearts away,” O’Neill said of Lyons.

“He’s taken his game to another level. He’s established himself in the Kilmarnock team which has taken him a little bit of time to do.

“Everyone that you speak to is very positive about Brad. He merits his place in the squad based on his performances this season.”

Lyons is the only new face in a squad which features returning QPR attacker Smyth. The former Linfield winger rejoined the Championship side in June after playing a key role in Leyton Orient’s League Two-winning 2022-23 campaign.

Smyth, 25, won the last of his three caps two years ago having made his debut under O’Neill in 2018.

O’Neill has also named unattached defenders Jonny Evans and Craig Cathcart. Evans, 35, has kept fit by being involved in Manchester United’s pre-season while 72-times capped centre-back Cathcart is looking for a new club after ending his nine-year stint at Watford.

Northern Ireland squad for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Slovenia and Kazakhstan:

Goalkeepers: Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Aarhus, on loan from Burnley), Conor Hazard (Plymouth), Luke Southwood (Cheltenham)

Defenders: Jonny Evans (Manchester United), Craig Cathcart (unattached), Paddy McNair (Middlesbrough), Daniel Ballard (Sunderland), Ciaron Brown (Oxford United), Trai Hume (Sunderland)

Midfielders: George Saville (Millwall), Gavin Whyte (Portsmouth), Jordan Thompson (Stoke), Ali McCann (Preston), Shea Charles (Southampton), Conor McMenamin (St Mirren), Isaac Price (Standard Liege), Paul Smyth (QPR), Matthew Kennedy (Kilmarnock), Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock)

Forwards: Josh Magennis (Wigan), Conor Washington (Derby), Shayne Lavery (Blackpool), Dion Charles (Bolton), Dale Taylor (Wycombe, on loan from Nottingham Forest)