Doyle back in the Premier League with Eagles
Since Kenny Jackett put the 30-year-old up for sale in the summer, cash offers were scarce but Palace launched a deadline day loan move to end the Wexford man’s nightmare at Wolves.
New Palace Neil Warnock was frantically seeking reinforcements for his threadbare strikeforce as the hours wound down, with Doyle his prime target during the day.
Talks on reducing Doyle’s wages, understood to be currently €45,000 per week, were central in delaying the Premier League club’s attempt to clinch a deal before it was finally concluded around the 11pm cut-off point.
Shane Duffy will aim to leave his frustrations behind at Everton after sealing his transfer to Championship club Blackburn Rovers for a fee that could rise to €2m.
There had been big hopes for the Derry man upon making his debut as a teen under David Moyes but, while Seamus Coleman flourished, Duffy struggled to progress.
His loan move to Yeovil Town last season, coupled the emergence of defender John Stones, combined to ensure Duffy’s days at Goodison Park were numbered.
“I’m delighted and I’m over the moon to be here,” said the 22-year-old, whose imminent first-team exposure is certain to improve his prospects of adding to the one senior cap he won against Costa Rica in June.
“It was tough decision to leave Everton of course but it was a chance to come to a great club and play football — that’s my main aim and that’s what I want to do.”
Elsewhere on deadline day, there were unsuccessful bids to recruit two members of Martin O’Neill’s squad based in Dublin.
Hull City’s capture of Mohamed Diame from West Ham intensified competition for midfield places, prompting Derby County to mount a loan swoop for Cork native David Meyler. Despite keeping Meyler on the bench during Sunday’s defeat at Aston Villa, manager Steve Bruce remains an admirer of the Leesider and duly knocked back the approach from the Championship promotion contenders.
Derby themselves held firm to keep club captain Richard Keogh at the club in the face of concerted interest from Burnley.
After lodging a E2m offer for the centre-back last Thursday, the Clarets returned yesterday with an improved bid yet received the same answer.
Keogh’s precarious contract situation runs Derby the risk of losing their defensive rock for free next summer but Steve McClaren was loath to sell the player just as they set about eclipsing last season’s feat of reaching the play-off final.
Aberdeen’s Ireland U21 defender Joe Shaughnessy has joined Falkirk on a temporary deal until January.
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