CREWE'S deadline day transfer business continued late into the evening as they finalised a loan deal for teenage Middlesbrough defender Nathan Wood while out-of-favour veteran Eddie Nolan moved out.

Centre-half Wood will boost the club's options at the back where outward-bound Harry Pickering will also be staying after the announcement today of the loan-back arrangement with the left-back's new employers Blackburn.

Wood, 18, was Boro's youngest ever debutant in August 2018, featured in Crewe's Caraboa Cup win at the Riverside in August 2019 and has got some Championship experience under his belt this season.

The England youth international joins fellow Middlesbrough youngster Stephen Walker at Gresty Road for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile, Nolan, will see out the final months of his Crewe contract out on loan at Scots Premier outfit Motherwell.

After injury ruined the latter half of last season the 32-year-old has only featured in two Papa John's Trophy games this term and had dropped out of the reckoning for central defensive opportunities.

Yet the Irishman made a significant contribution to their improvement and rise into League One, winning the the club's player-of-the-season award in his first campaign in 2017/18 and chalking up over 100 appearances.

While Dave Artell's focus has been on the transfer market, the Alex boss is sparing a thought for rival Steve Cotterill ahead of tomorrow night's re-arranged visit to Shrewsbury (K.O 7pm).

Cotterill contracted Covid-19 so severely that he spent time in intensive care and is still in hospital more than two weeks after being admitted.

Salop, currently under the charge of assistant manager Aaron Wilbraham, were on the upward curve under Cotterill before coronavirus struck the New Meadow and Artell said: "We wish Steve a speedy recovery.

"I've seen Shrewsbury twice recently and they are an extremely hard-working side who have got a bit about them.

"Steve knows how to set a team up and their players are responding. They are a tough nut to crack and they're in real good form. I'm glad to see Daniel Udoh doing so well for them as I've got a lot of time for him.

"We wished it would have worked out for him here because he is such a nice feller. He took a couple of steps down and he's come back."