Saint Stephens

Young midfielder wanted to leave,

ATHLETIC only let Dale Stephens leave for Southampton when it became clear the player did not want to stay at Boundary Park, the club have revealed.

Promotion-chasing Saints have sealed a loan deal for the 21-year-old midfielder, which runs until the end of the season.

Blackburn’s Jason Lowe has arrived as a direct replacement.

Manager Paul Dickov revealed that after Athletic initially rebuffed an approach from Southampton for the club’s 10-goal top scorer, Stephens subsequently let it become known he wanted to leave.

“When Southampton came in we turned down their offer and Dale told us he wanted to stay,” said Dickov, who failed despite lengthy attempts to bring in a new striker on loan before yesterday’s 5pm deadline.

“But after speaking to his agent, he came back and expressed a wish to speak to them.”

No discussions have yet taken place over a permanent move for Bolton-born Stephens, who still has two further seasons left to run on his Athletic contract.

A 20-per-cent slice of any fee the club could potentially pick up for the player would go to Bury as part of the deal which saw him arrive at Boundary Park as a teenager three years ago.

Details of the financial arrangement which has taken Stephens to the St Mary’s Stadium on a temporary basis are being kept confidential at Southampton’s request.

But the Chronicle understands Athletic have received a substantial loan fee.

There is no truth in the rumour that the club have shipped out Stephens in order to save £10,000.

The Football League tribunal ruling when he first signed for the club detailed that Athletic would have to pay that amount after each of 15, 30, 45 and 60 starting league appearances.

Stephens is currently on 58, but the money is paid on a pro-rata basis meaning that potential savings on such a basis only total £1,333.

The body-blow of losing the team’s main creative inspiration from midfield is mitigated by Lowe’s arrival.

The 19-year-old, who has England under-20s experience, made his senior Rovers debut this season and played in a Premier League clash with Chelsea.

Dickov is likely to throw Lowe straight into the side when Athletic take on Tranmere at Boundary Park on Monday.

Athletic’s attempts to acquire a striker were frustrated by targets being away on international duty, with the possibility of them returning injured precluding any possible deals.