Defender Wootton heads off to Wigan
DEFENDER Scott Wootton became the second player to leave Plymouth Argyle on transfer deadline day.
The 29-year-old has joined Wigan Athletic from the Pilgrims on loan until the end of the season.
Wigan are 23rd in League One after losing 5-0 at home to Blackpool on Saturday, two points away from escaping the relegation zone.
The Latics are in action against Swindon at the County Ground tomorrow night.
That is where Wootton made his last appearance for Argyle, as a late substitute in their 2-0 win against the Robins.
Wootton made his last start for Argyle in the 2-1 defeat away to Crewe Alexandra on December 15.
Overall, he has played 16 times for the Pilgrims this season, four of them as a substitute.
Wigan will visit Home Park to play Argyle on Tuesday, March 9 but Wootton will not be eligible to line-up for them in that match.
Signing for the Latics sees Birkenhead-born Wootton make a return to the north-west of England.
Argyle manager Ryan Lowe has four options to fill his side’s three central defensive positions until club captain Gary Sawyer returns from a long-term ankle injury, which could be later this month.
That quartet are Will Aimson, Jerome Opoku, Kell Watts and new loan signing Sam Woods from Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, Liverpool were set to bolster their backline with the signing of Preston defender Ben Davies.
The Reds have been so short of fit centre-backs that captain Jordan Henderson has been deployed there in recent weeks but Davies emerged as a surprise choice to reinforce their ranks.
It is understood the 25-year-old was undergoing a medical on Monday night before signing for an initial £500,000.
Preston will also benefit from a 20 per cent sell-on clause on any profit Liverpool make on any further transfer with a further payment if Davies plays for England, while North End will get 19-yearold Liverpool defender Sepp Van Den Berg on loan.
Liverpool were also interested in bringing in Marseille’s Duje Caleta-Car but that became problematic so they switched their attention to a loan deal for Schalke’s Ozan Kabak.
West Brom completed the deadline-day loan signing of Okay Yokuslu from Celta Vigo and were closing in on Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Southampton were interested in Maitland-Niles but pulled out because the player did not appear sold on the switch.