Boss Robinson eyes swoop for midfield man

New Oldham Athletic manager Stephen Robinson at SportsDirect.com Park

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RYAN Flynn is among a list of targets that Athletic's manager Stephen Robinson wants to bring in, after a flurry of activity got under way with three new signings.

After Robinson was finally confirmed as boss on Saturday morning, Athletic wasted no time in rubber-stamping three deals: season-long loans for Middlesbrough goalkeeper Connor Ripley and Leeds striker Lee Erwin, and Josh Law on a one-year deal.

Robinson is working to add a host of players to the squad and midfield man Flynn ­- released by Sheffield United at the end of last season ­- is among the most eye-catching potential addition.

FINALS

Starting out at Liverpool's academy, the Scot (27) won successive FA Youth Cup finals against Manchester City and Manchester United ­- sides featuring Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck ­- before a £50,000 transfer saw him leave for Falkirk in search of first-team football.

Flynn joined Sheffield United for an undisclosed fee in 2011 and helped his new club reach the play-offs in his first season.

Two years ago, he hit the headlines by netting a superb match-winner at Aston Villa in the FA Cup and followed that up with a strike against Charlton which helped take the Blades into the semi-final of the competition.

After 195 appearances for the club, scoring 19 goals, Flynn had a clause in his contract for another year at Bramall Lane, but was released. Coventry were said to be among clubs monitoring his situation, but Athletic now hope to sign him up.

Veteran Northern Ireland defender Aaron Hughes (36), who played under Robinson at Euro 16, is also thought to have been in talks with Athletic over a move, as has his international team-mate Daniel Lafferty, who enjoyed a successful loan last term from Burnley. Lafferty still has a year left on his contract at Turf Moor and a loan deal is possible.

At least one European trialist is said to have impressed in training ahead of Athletic's first friendly at home to Huddersfield on Saturday (3pm kick-off) and could be offered terms.

Robinson admits he is playing catch-up in terms of squad-building, but is happy with the work done over the weekend.

"We are maybe two weeks behind everyone in the search for players, but we have already signed three in Connor Ripley, Lee Erwin and Josh Law," he said.

"Connor is a Premier League goalkeeper in the making, Josh has a lot of games under his belt in the SPL and I have agreed a deal with another left-back.

"We are actively talking to three or four players including two centre-halves and a centre-forward.

"So we have made a lot of progress."

Ripley, the 23-year-old, son of former Boro and England winger Stuart, has come through the system at the Riverside and last season played for Robinson's former club Motherwell, where he kept seven clean sheets in 40 appearances.

Striker Erwin, linked with a switch to Bradford last week, stands at 6ft 2in and joined Leeds for a six-figure fee from Motherwell last summer before a short loan spell with Bury. The Scot has 15 career goals in 66 senior appearances to date.

Law is a full-back or midfielder who plays down the right side and he penned a 12-month deal after being released by Motherwell.

The 26-year-old came through the junior ranks at Chesterfield and made more than 250 appearances for Alfreton over seven years before heading north of the border. He played 74 times for the Fir Park club, scoring twice.