ON its final day of business, Stephen Ireland is expected to become Newcastle United’s first new addition of the January transfer window.

The 24-year-old midfielder had a medical on Tyneside yesterday, and the paperwork should be completed before tonight’s 11pm deadline.

Ireland’s arrival, on loan until the end of the season, may not be the day’s only significant signing at St James’ Park, with the Magpies close to agreeing a contract extension for midfielder Joey Barton.

Manager Alan Pardew had been hoping to add a couple of new faces to his squad but with time running out, his best work may have been keeping key players.

Playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa’s loan from Marseilles has been made permanent, while Newcastle are expected to dismiss out of hand any renewed Tottenham Hotspur bid for top-scorer Andy Carroll.

One striker who could be allowed to leave is Xisco with Spanish outfit Deportivo la Coruna keen to take the Spaniard back on loan.

The 24-year-old joined the Magpies from Deportivo in a £5.7million switch in the summer of 2008, much to the annoyance of then manager Kevin Keegan.

He has since made just 11 appearances and none since two brief cameos as a substitute in August last year.

Middlesbrough had hoped to persuade him to make the short trip down the A19 for the rest of the npower Championship campaign, but were willing to pay only a portion of his wages, reportedly in excess of £50,000 a week.

Ireland’s reputation has lost some of its lustre in a difficult 18 months.

Manchester City’s player of the season for 2008-09 fell from favour after Mark Hughes’ sacking the following December, and joined Aston Villa for £8m in August, a makeweight for former Newcastle midfielder James Milner. Again a change of manager worked against him, Martin O’Neill leaving before the deal was completed.

He lost his place in late October, O’Neill’s successor Gérard Houllier questioning his application. A December 6 appearance at Anfield looks to have been his last for the Midlanders.