St Patrick's Athletic have significantly boosted their title aspirations for next season with the signing of striker Eoin Doyle from Bolton Wanderers.
The 33-year-old has been a consistent goal scorer in a career that has spanned the Irish, Scottish and English leagues.
Doyle scored 19 goals for the Trotters last term and the most recent of his 28 appearances this term came in Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to Hartlepool in the Football League Trophy.
The frontman has plundered 160 goals in almost 500 senior appearances.
The two-time FAI Cup winner with Sligo, who will wear the number nine jersey at Richmond Park, says he is "delighted" to be moving back home to Dublin with his family and is aiming to hit the ground running under manager, and former team-mate, Tim Clancy.
"It was a huge decision for me and coming home was a major factor, I've always been a big fan of the league, and looked out for the results of the clubs I've played at, and Tim's results at Drogheda," he said.
"I didn't want to come back when I was too old when I couldn't add any value to the team, it was important for me to come back and try have some success."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed Ainsley Maitland-Niles will sign on loan for Roma this month.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest, the Gunners manager said: "Ainsley came to me and explai ned reasons why he thought the best thing for his career is to move away and the opportunity in Rome and working under Jose [Mourinho] was good one.
"We already had this conversation in the summer and said to reassess in November.
"Given the minutes he has played, he was entitled to that opportunity, so we decided to let him go and we wish him the best."
Everton manager Rafael Benitez has revealed out-of-favour defender Lucas Digne has told him he wants to leave the club.
The France full-back has not played since the Merseyside derby defeat at home to Liverpool on 1 December after a fall-out with the Spaniard over tactics and his role in the team.
He returned to the squad as an unused substitute for last weekend's defeat at home to Brighton but it seems he has played his last game for the club.
Benitez said: "I think it was very clear. I want to ask a question to every fan or former player. What would you say to a player who doesn't want to be there?
"It is simple. I had a couple of conversations with him, he told me what he thought. What do you expect to do when a player goes [says] to the manager he doesn't want to be here?"
Dundalk have signed Wales Under-21 goalkeeper Nathan Shepperd from Brentford.
Shepperd started his career at Swansea City's academy before joining the west London outfit in the summer of 2019.
He made 45 appearances for the Brentford B team and was named B Team Player of the Year in 2019/2020.
Shepperd made his international debut in a friendly against the Republic of Ireland in March 2021 and has been a regular in the Welsh Under-21 squad ever since. He'll compete with Peter Cherrie for the number 1 spot this season.
"I really enjoyed my time at Brentford but I feel like the time is right now for me to move on and hopefully do really good things at Dundalk," he told dundalkfc.com .
"A couple of my ex-teammates at Brentford and Swansea have come over to the League of Ireland and I’ve always looked out for them and kept in touch with them. Everything I’ve heard is good, so why not?"
Meanwhile West Ham striker Michail Antonio has signed a new contract.
The 31-year-old, whose previous deal was due to expire next summer, has committed himself to the Hammers until 2024 with the option of a further year.
Antonio has scored 55 goals for the club since joining from Nottingham Forest in 2015, and has been a key player in West Ham's rise up the Premier League over the last two seasons under manager David Moyes.
Moyes said: "We've extended one or two contracts behind the scenes.
"We did Michail's contract about two months ago, but we've also done another couple of players. We've gone about our business quietly, trying to do things behind the scenes and trying to do things correctly."
