[themaclad]

Aston Villa have recalled young midfielder Tommi O'Reilly from his scheduled season-long loan with League One strugglers Shrewsbury Town and sent him back out on loan to League Two play-off contenders Milton Keynes Dons.

"I'm buzzing to be here," said 21-year-old O'Reilly. "I'm happy it's finally got over the line, and I can't wait to get started. The stadium is great; it's a big pitch too, and I'm excited to show people what I can do."

O'Reilly was Shrewsbury's fifth summer signing when he arrived in July and started the first four League One games. But he did not start another game under Paul Hurst, prior to his sacking on 3 November.

His only other two league starts both came following the arrival of Gareth Ainsworth as boss in mid-November.

O'Reilly's loan is the second Shrewsbury have ended prematurely with a Premier League club following Charles Sagoe Jr's return to Arsenal.

Dons have now made three January signings - Crawley midfielder Jay Williams for an undisclosed fee and Notts County midfielder Dan Crowley.

From the same department, they have lost three players to fellow League Two clubs: Tommy Leigh to Bradford City, attacking midfielder Stephen Wearne to Carlisle United and wing-back Brooklyn Ilunga to Bromley.

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League Two club MK Dons have signed experienced defender Nathan Thompson from third-tier Stevenage.

The 34-year-old played for Swindon, Portsmouth and Peterborough before joining Stevenage in the summer of 2023.

He featured 20 times in the first half of this season.

MK Dons head coach Scott Lindsey said of Thompson:, external "He's a player I've worked with before and have great trust in.

"At this stage in his career, he's very experienced but still has the hunger and athleticism to be a brilliant addition at this level.

"He's an organised and versatile defender and we're very pleased to have him with us."

Stevenage chairman Phil Wallace said:, external "Nathan has been great for us but he'll be out of contract at the end of the season.

"We offered him a new deal to extend his contract, but he didn't want to sign again. MK Dons contacted us, met our asking price and Nathan wanted to go.

"With both Dan Sweeney and Charlie Goode now back after long injuries, we agreed to his transfer. Nathan has been a model professional in his two years with us and we wish him well at his new club."

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MK Dons have signed Aston Villa wing-back Travis Patterson and Burton striker Danilo Orsi on loan for the remainder of the season and Millwall keeper Connal Trueman on a permanent deal.

Patterson signed a long-term contract last summer and made his first-team debut in a 2-1 win at Wycombe in the EFL Cup in September.

The 19-year-old's move to Stadium MK is his first loan away from Villa Park.

"Travis is a versatile young player with heaps of potential - he's very highly thought of at Aston Villa which speaks for itself, and is at a good age to head out on loan and get his first taste of senior football," said Dons head coach Scott Lindsey.

"I spoke to Liam Sweeting (sporting director) and Scott Lindsey on the phone and they were both very convincing, I think this is a big club, the stadium is great," Patterson said.

"I think we've got a real chance of getting promoted and I think I can help the side do that."

Lindsey has also been reunited with 28-year-old forward Orsi, who scored 25 goals and assisted four more in 50 games for Lindsey's Crawley side as they were promoted from League Two last season.

Orsi has featured 27 times for the struggling Brewers in League One this term, scoring six and teeing-up three more.

Trueman, 28, joins having not made a first-team appearance for the Lions since joining from Birmingham in 2022.

He made 15 appearances for Blues, a further 22 on loan at AFC WImbledon and appeared six times for Crawley on loan earlier this season.

MK Dons are 11th in League Two, nine points adrift of the play-off places, and will be at home to Bromley on Saturday.

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Dean Lewington, MK Dons' record appearance holder, is to stop playing for the club at the end of the season.

The left-back has made 915 appearances for the club over 22 years, breaking John Trollope's 40-year record for the most league appearances for a single club in the EFL in 2023.

The 40-year-old, son of former England assistant manager Ray, won promotion three times with the Dons, as well as winning a league and cup double in 2007/08.

He has not played since November, becoming an interim boss three times. The club say he now wants to move into coaching permanently.

[themaclad]

MK Dons have released Ellis Harrison following the end of the striker's contract.

Harrison, 31, spent the second half of the season at League Two rivals Walsall and headlines a list of first-team players who will leave Stadium MK.

Goalkeeper Nathan Harness and defender Jack Tucker, who spent the second half of the season at Colchester, will also leave.

Winger Jonathan Leko and goalkeeper Connal Trueman remain in discussions with the club over new deals while Craig MacGillivray, Phoenix Scholtz and Seb Stacey have all had contract options exercised to stay.

Loanees Nico Lawrence, Tommi O'Reilly, Danilo Orsi, Travis Patterson and Joe White will all return to their parent clubs following the conclusion of their deals.

Meanwhile, Dons said youngsters Joel Anker, Ronnie Sandford, Charlie Stirland and Albert Wood will also leave the club.

[themaclad]

MK Dons have signed winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing from Derby County on a permanent contract.

The 33-year-old will reunite with his former Rams boss Paul Warne at Stadium MK after three seasons with Derby.

Mendez-Laing arrived at Pride Park from Sheffield Wednesday in July 2022 and helped the Rams win promotion to the Championship two seasons ago.

The Guatemala international played 41 times this term for Derby, under John Eustace for the last 14 games of the season following Warne's sacking, and helped the club avoid relegation back to League One with a final-day draw against Stoke City.

The length of Mendez-Laing's deal has not been disclosed.


He was unbeaten in his four games at the end of the season as the club finished 19th in League Two, 10 points above the relegation zone.

"I'm buzzing, happy to finally get this deal done It's a project that I'm really excited about, and I can't wait to get going," Mendez-Laing said., external

"I've always kept in touch with the gaffer, he's someone I highly respect.

"When the conversation happened, there was instant interest from my side. He's a great and honest man."

Mendez-Laing made 145 appearances during his time with Derby and scored 21 goals.

[themaclad]

MK Dons have signed Crawley Town forward Rushian Hepburn-Murphy for an undisclosed fee.

The 26-year-old, who began his career at Aston Villa, scored 11 goals in 46 games for Crawley last season, including four in their last three.

He left Villa for Israeli side Pafos in 2020 and spent two years there before joining Swindon Town and then Crawley last summer.

"Rushian is a player I have watched over many seasons, and I like the qualities he can add to this team," said Dons boss Paul Warne.

"He's somebody who wants to kick on with his career, he will be an exciting addition for now and in the future."

The deal was completed before Tuesday's 19:00 BST deadline and he is the second player to move to Stadium: MK so far this summer following former Derby County winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

"For me, this club should never be in League Two - who wouldn't want to play here and get back up the leagues as quick as possible," Hepburn-Murphy said.

His contract details have not been disclosed.

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MK Dons have signed Gethin Jones after the defender was released by League One side Bolton Wanderers at the end of the season.

The 29-year-old Australia international, who started his career with Everton, made 188 appearances in all competitions during his time with the Trotters.

MK Dons head coach Paul Warne says he has "admired" the defender for a number of years.

"He can play in multiple positions across the backline, although as an attacking full-back, he provides great delivery into the box, but his flexibility enables us to play different systems," Warne told the club website.