Clarets complete Mahon swoop

Burnley beat Thursday's Football League transfer deadline to sign Wigan's Alan Mahon.

Burnley beat Thursday's Football League transfer deadline to sign Wigan midfielder Alan Mahon on loan for the remainder of the season with a view to a permanent transfer.

The two clubs have already agreed on a fee in the region of £200,000 for the former Republic of Ireland cap and could complete a summer transfer on a three-and-a-half year deal should all parties concur.

The 27-year-old is no stranger to East Lancashire having joined The Latics from The Clarets' local rivals Blackburn in February 2004.

Steve Cotterill, who has also agreed to loan striker Gifton Noel-Williams to Brighton, told the club's official website: "We managed to sort out a deal with Wigan to take Alan Mahon until the end of the season, with an agreed permanent deal going ahead at the end of the season.

"It's been a mad rush to make sure we beat the 5pm deadline to get him signed in time and we're looking forward to having him in the squad hopefully for the next three and a bit years.

"I'd like to thank [Wigan manager] Paul Jewell for all his help with that. We've had a couple of good chats this week and I'd like to thank him very much for his help in assisting the transfer to go through pretty quickly."

Mahon was considered a first choice for Jewell at the start of the season and scored a superb goal at Aston Villa. 

However, after failing to appear for the first team since an FA Cup defeat to Manchester City in January, Mahon will hope to reignite his career back in The Championship.