DONE DEAL: Hull City has officially announced that a highly-regarded young player has joined the team.

The Tigers have opted to send Andy Smith to Whaddon

Andy Smith is expected to complete a loan move to League One side Cheltenham Town, after Hull City boss Liam Rosenior sanctioned the move ahead of the transfer window closing on Thursday week.

Smith was with Town’s travelling party on Tuesday night to watch his new colleagues narrowly beaten 1-0 by promotion-chasing Bolton Wanderers, according to our colleagues at Gloucester Live, with Robins boss Darrell Clarke keen to add the central defender to his ranks for what will be a crucial battle against the drop in the final weeks of the season.

The 22-year-old has been on the fringes of Liam Rosenior’s first team all season and has four senior appearances in all competitions this season, and played in both FA Cup third round ties with Birmingham City earlier this month.

Smith, who was born in Banbury but came through the Tigers’ academy, has EFL experience having played 37 times on loan at Grimsby Town in League Two, the season after helping the Mariners earn promotion from the National League.

Cheltenham are mired in relegation trouble in the League One drop zone and sit seven points from safety after Tuesday’s defeat against the Trotters, though they do have two games in hand on Shrewsbury Town and Exeter City directly above the trap door. At Whaddon Road, Smith will link up with former Tigers star Curtis Davies and could make his debut at Pride Park against Derby County this weekend.

Rosenior had been keen to keep Smith around his squad throughout the campaign, but wants Smith to gain regular football in the second half of the season, and is thought to be content with the defensive options at his disposal, particularly given the emergence of Stan Ashbee.

Smith’s departure could start a flurry of loan exits from the MKM Stadium over the next week, with Rosenior keen to get a host of youngsters out playing football in the second half of the campaign.