Ballyjamesduff youngster Jake Doyle-Hayes is on his way to League Two strugglers Cambridge United for the rest of the campaign.
The Aston Villa midfielder is one of two Deadline Day signings by The U's, with Middlesborough Hayden Coulson also heading to the Abbey Stadium, as Colin Calderwood's side look to move clear of the Football League trap door after an indifferent season.
🎥 Colin Calderwood on the arrival of Jake Doyle-Hayes and Hayden Coulson on #DeadlineDay#CamUTD pic.twitter.com/Ju6ZtvZLk5
— Cambridge United FC 🇺🇦 (@CambridgeUtdFC) January 31, 2019
Doyle-Hayes, who made the bench for Villa's thrilling 5-5 draw with Nottingham Forest in June, has been a staple of the West Midlands U23 side's midfield for the last couple of seasons and featured for then manager, Noel King's Republic of Ireland U21 side, in March's friendly against Iceland.
The former Academy captain has also had a couple of EFL Cup showings for the Villains over the last two seasons.
Doyle-Hayes arrived at Villa's Bodymoor Heath Academy, as a fresh-faced fifteen-year-old in 2014, having spent his formative years playing for regional sides in South Ulster.
His contract at Villa Park runs out in eighteen months, with the midfielder hoping for more first-team opportunities.
Calderwood believes that the move to Cambridge will help develop the youngster who he believes can become "a very, very good player".
