Serie A side set to sign St Pat’s youngster as Jeff Hendrick reportedly heads for Newcastle exit

It could be a busy few days of transfer activity for some Irish players.

Jeff Hendrick could leave Newcastle United on loan before the transfer deadline while St Patrick's Athletic are set to receive a record transfer fee for talented youngster James Abankwah. According to reports, in what could be a busy few days for Irish players, Hendrick could join Middlesbrough on loan until the remainder of the season. While Udinese have made a move for Abankwah.

Udinese set to sign James Abankwah from St Pat's and loan him back to Inchicore club.

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Udinese have signed Abankwah from St Pat's. The deal has yet to be confirmed, but there is still time to do so before the January transfer window closes on Monday. The Italian publication report that Abankwah will remain with the Inchicore side on loan for the 2022 League of Ireland Premier Division season. The Irish Examiner report that Udinese will pay a record fee for a League of Ireland player when they sign Abankwah. The current record fee is the €500,000 Manchester City paid Shamrock Rovers for Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu in 2018. The 18-year-old was part of the St Pat's team which won the FAI Cup final in November against Bohemians in the Aviva Stadium. He played 13 times for the club last year and has represented Ireland at underage level. Abankwah joined the League of Ireland side from Cherry Orchard in 2019. He was raised in Longford but moved to Dublin as a teenager. He is due to sit his Leaving Certificate in June.

Jeff Hendrick to join Middlesbrough on loan.

Meanwhile, Hendrick could join Middlesbrough on loan, according to The Irish Sun and TalkSport. The Ireland midfielder, who turns 30 later this month, has only started one Premier League game this season and has started just twice since March. Hendrick has played only 10 minutes for the Magpies since Eddie Howe was appointed manager. The Magpies reportedly hope to sign Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimarães from Lyon for €40m before the transfer deadline, a move that push Hendrick further down the pecking order. Middlesbrough would offer the Ireland midfielder the opportunity to play first-team football, and the Championship side want to strengthen their squad in a bid to earn promotion to the Premier League. They signed Aaron Connolly, Hendrick's Ireland teammate, on loan from Brighton earlier this month. Chris Wilder's team are currently in eighth place in the table, two points from the play-off places with a game in hand the teams directly above them.