IN THE KNOW
Neil Fissler brings you the latest hot gossip from the transfer market
AUSTRALIAN international Lucas Neill is still keen on a move to the Championship for the rest of the season.
He has been training with former club Blackburn Rovers who have indicated they will not be offering him a deal. LEE Clark, the Birmingham boss, is keen on an emergency loan move for Sunderland midfielder Craig Gardner.
Gardner made 42 Premier League appearances for Birmingham, scoring nine goals following a switch from Aston Villa in January 2010.
He memorably scored the Blues winning goal in their League Cup semifinal win against West Ham United.
And he was part of the side that shocked Arsenal 2-1 at Wembley. That went a long way to securing him a move to Sunderland in June 2011 for an undisclosed fee.
The 27-year-old is out of contract in the summer and his days at the Stadium of Light appear to be numbered.
In the January transfer window he was a target for West Bromwich Albion, but Gus Poyet refused to give the deal the green light.
There are still plenty of takers for his services from the Championship with Nottingham Forest and Queens Park Rangers among those keen on him.
Poyet is willing to let him leave but wants to hang on until closer to the March 28 emergency loan deadline.
He believes Gardner could yet have a part to play for Sunderland who are battling against relegation from the Premier League. GILLINGHAM are among clubs chasing hotshot Jordan Ter Horst. The 17-year-old has netted 30 goals in the Ryman League for Folkstone Invicta this season. CARLISLE UNITED are interested in signing Sheffield Wednesday striker Gary Madine after his release from prison.
Carlisle boss Graham Kavanagh was in regular contact with the £5,000 a week striker during the four-months he spent inside for attacking two people in a nightclub.
Madine had talks with Owls following his release from an 18-month sentence and will find out next week if he has a future with the club.
They are still considering whether to sack the disgraced striker who has expressed regret at ‘letting people down’.
Madine spent four seasons with Carlisle before his Hillsborough move in 2011 and Kavanagh has already shown he is willing to give players a second chance.
In November he signed ex-Manchester City defender Courtney MeppenWalter who received 16 months in jail following a traffic collision which led to two deaths.