Latics working hard to boost front line options

ON the radar . . . Caolan Lavery has scored six goals for Sheffield Wednesday.

ATHLETIC are being linked with a potential swoop for Sheffield Wednesday’s out-of-favour striker Caolan Lavery.

Lavery (22) joined the Owls in 2012 and has since made 39 appearances for the club, 20 from the bench. He scored six goals.

The player spent time at Southend and Plymouth on loan in 2013, before bagging three goals in eight outings while temporarily with Chesterfield towards the end of last season.

This term the Canadian-born former Northern Ireland under-21 international has again found himself out of the reckoning at Hillsborough, making only two non-scoring appearances in the Capital One Cup.

Athletic boss David Dunn spoke earlier this week of his desire to strengthen his attacking options, but he gave little away when questioned about Lavery, who is one of three or four players said to be available on loan deals from Wednesday.

Meanwhile Dunn has been delighted to see club skipper Liam Kelly back on the training pitch this week after his recovery from a minor knee operation.

Speaking at Chapel Road yesterday, Dunn said: “Liam’s our captain so he’s a really important player for us. It’s been good to have him back on the training ground.

“The swelling around his knee has gone down now, and when he joined in with the full group on Sunday he looked comfortable.

“The lads who came into the middle of the park at Doncaster did extremely well, in terms of the energy they showed and the way they were disciplined, but Liam is always a good lad to have around and is someone who can help the younger lads around him.”

Middlesbrough loanee Jonathan Burn will be available for selection for Saturday’s home clash against Wigan. The central-defender, who scored his first Athletic goal in the 1-1 draw at Doncaster, also took two bangs to the head at the Keepmoat Stadium and had to be replaced in the second half.

Boss Dunn added: “Jonathan should be okay for the weekend. It was a bruising day for him, but he’s going to take a lot more of those kind of whacks during his career.”