Mick signs midfielder, targets another

Mick McCarthy has one player and looks likely to sign another, on loan deals until the end of the season, just ahead of transfer deadline day.

Midfielder Carl Robinson has joined us from Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth. The 27 year old Welshman joined Pompey in the summer of 2002, but has made only a handful of starts since then, and seen loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday, Walsall, Rotherham, Sheffield and now us. He has 13 international caps to his name, and recently came on as a sub for Wales in their 4-0 win against Scotland in a friendly at the Millennium Stadium.

The move is designed so that McCarthy has cover for Jeff Whitley, who is now banned for five matches, which includes our FA Cup semi final on April 4th - but ironically, Robinson is cup-tied and won't be able to represent Sunderland in that game, having already played for Pompey in the cup this season.

There are also media rumours that another midfielder, Jon Welsh, looks likely to join us from Liverpool. The young Liverpudlian, 20, has been training with Gerard Houllier's senior squad since he joined Liverpool in summer 2002, having been with the club since the tender age of 10! Jon is a current England U19 international and was a member of the Liverpool U19 squad which won the title last year. He's said to be a midfielder in much the same mould as Steven Gerrard.