http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sp...deal__but_Arca_set_to_leave_at_end_of_season/ TONY Mowbray is close to completing a loan deal for Stoke defender Andrew Davies, but reluctantly accepts midfielder Julio Arca will leave Middlesbrough this summer. Davies spent more than a month training with Boro's first-team squad at the turn of the year, but the Teessiders were unable to agree a deal for the Stockton-born 26-year-old in the transfer window. He returned to Stoke in the week leading up to deadline day, but does not feature in Tony Pulis' 25-man squad and is unable to make a senior appearance for the Potters in the remainder of the season. Mowbray has contacted Pulis this week and offered to take Davies on loan, but is unable to fund the former Boro defender's wages for the final three months of the campaign. However, with a compromise close, there is every chance of a deal being agreed before the start of next week. "There's a potential for a loan deal to happen," confirmed Mowbray. "Andrew was here for four or five weeks, but the weather meant we didn't see a lot of him. "He wasn't really ready then because he hadn't played any football for 18 months. We were basically facilitating him training and getting right. "His fitness is better now though, and I've asked the question to Stoke. The difficulty is finance. We're not really in a position to add an extra salary on top of the salaries were already paying. "It will need an agreement with Stoke, and that agreement will have to be financially favourable to us. There's the potential for something to happen because he's not in their 25 and he's not going to play. I think they've had other inquiries, but knowing Andrew, if there's a potential to move on loan, I think he'd like to come here." EDIT - Confirmed here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/9401768.stm? Middlesbrough have signed Stoke City defender Andrew Davies on loan until the end of the season. The 26-year-old began his career with the Teessiders and made his initial debut for the club in a 3-1 League Cup defeat by Ipswich in November 2002. Southampton signed the defender in October 2007 for ã1m, where he stayed for one season before moving to Stoke on a free transfer in August 2008. Davies goes straight into the squad for Saturday's trip to Millwall.
So basically, they want us to hand over Andrew Davies to them for nothing? Great if it works out, clearly did nothing to impress us Stokies so I don't see why the Smoggies shouldn't take him. I'm advocating a permanent deal though.
