Cork City recruit players from Arsenal and QPR on the eve of the new campaign

CORK City have signed Deshane Dalling on a loan deal from QPR until June along with defender Joseph Olowu from English Premier League club, Arsenal.

City's first game is on Friday night at Turner's Cross against old rivals Shels, though a proposed link-up with Championship outfit Preston North End is causing controversy on the eve of the new campaign.

Olowu, 21, joins Neale Fenn’s side having made 11 appearances for the Gunners’ U23 team in Premier League 2 this season.

Olowu said: “It’s a pleasure. It was an exciting opportunity when I first heard it, and thought that it’d be good for me to further my footballing career. Neale explained to me the kind of football he wants to play - he wants to get it on the ground, play exciting football to get the fans on side, so that sounded good to me, to be honest. 

“On a personal note, I want to get a lot of game time in, and play as much football as possible and on a team basis, I want to help this team get into good position and keep pushing on for the season.” 

Dalling, another 21-year-old, is an exciting winger who made one FA Cup appearance for QPR having had a previous spell with Huddersfield Town.

“I had my first training session today with the team and really enjoyed it, there is a great buzz amongst the squad. I am a direct, fast player who loves being in one-on-one situations, playing from the wing. I want to do my best for the club and fans, I am very grateful for the opportunity.” 

City’s involvement with Preston North End could extend to a full takeover by the English club, The Echo has learned.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that officials from Preston had visited Cork to meet their City counterparts.

On Thursday morning, the board of management of Foras, the supporters’ trust that owns Cork City, informed its members that an agreement had been reached for City to surrender sell-on clauses relating to former players Seán Maguire and Alan Browne, both of whom now play for Preston.

Instead of receiving a percentage of any sale price, City are to paid a cash sum.

The contact between the two clubs had been initiated by City when concerns arose over whether or not the FAI would issue the Rebel Army with a Premier Division licence for the coming season.

When discussions proved fruitful, the possibility of a formal investment arose. Preston’s owner Trevor Hemmings also owns Trabolgan Holiday Village in East Cork and has a stud farm in Kanturk and there is interest in a takeover of City.

Any such move would need to go before the membership of Foras, which currently owns 100% of the club.

The Foras AGM is scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 5 but it’s likely that an EGM will be held before then instead.

If a takeover was to be approved, Foras would retain some presence on the board of the new entity but would not own any shares.