Derry City on brink of loan move for Swansea City striker Josh Thomas

DERRY CITY Football Club is understood to be negotiating the loan signing of Swansea City striker Josh Thomas who caught the eye of several League of Ireland clubs during his spell with Drogheda United last season.

Brandywell boss Tiernan Lynch has been busy in the winter transfer window and with a deal understood to be close to completion for Sligo Rovers defender Patrick McClean, the arrival of 23 year-old Thomas would be another shrewd piece of business by the Belfast man.

Josh Thomas is expected to arrive in Derry this week ahead of sealing his loan move to Candy Stripes. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

placeholder image — Josh Thomas is expected to arrive in Derry this week ahead of sealing his loan move to Candy Stripes. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Thomas is believed to have arrived in Derry ahead of Monday's training session as the final touches in the proposed loan deal are put in place.

With former Derry City striker Danny Mullen completing his move to Dundalk at the weekend, the Candy Stripes have been seeking a replacement and Thomas, who spent a successful loan spell at Drogheda United last term, certainly fits the bill.

Josh Thomas is on the brink of a move to Brandywell Stadium. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

The pacey frontman is under contract until this summer with the EFL Championship outfit but has the option of an additional year through to 2027.

His loan spell with Drogheda United officially came to an end at the end of December and a return to the League of Ireland with the Candy Stripes appears to be his next move.

Thomas scored on his home debut for Drogheda against Sligo Rovers last February but he suffered a setback when tearing his quad in the game which ruled him out for five months. He returned to score against Crumlin United in the FAI Cup and followed that up with the league winner against Bohemians in August - a goal which made it three goals in just four appearances for the Boynesiders. In total the Welshman netted six goals in 17 appearances in all competitions.

Thomas has been with Swansea since the age of 12, and signed his first professional contract in 2020. He made his senior competitive debut for the Welsh club in the opening game of the 2024/25 Championship season against Middlesbrough.

The forward, who has been capped up to U21 level for Wales, playing 10 times for his country at that age group, also previously spent the first half of the 2023-24 season on loan at Port Vale, after impressing for Swansea’s first team in pre-season, netting five times.