DANNY Ward is on the verge of joining Leeds United on loan.

The young striker will be sent to Elland Road until Christmas after turning down offers from Millwall and Cardiff City.

Owen Coyle has stopped short of identifying the club involved, but says the exposure to a higher level of football than he had in a successful spell at Swindon Town last season would be of great benefit to the 19-year-old.

“I’m going to allow him out on loan but only until January to allow him to get that Championship experience,” he said.

“What I have done with the lad, so that he is comfortable with his environment, I have allowed him to speak to the necessary clubs.

“Once that’s resolved, we’ll look at the finance involved for the football club and what’s involved in it.

“Whether it’s concluded this week, time will tell, but we are certainly agreeable to it.”

Joey O’Brien has also been told he will be sent out on a short-term loan as he continues on the road to recovery from a serious knee injury.

The Republic of Ireland international is gradually rebuilding a career that looked in jeopardy after a succession of operations and failed comebacks in the last 18 months.

“Joey has been out for nearly two years, it has been stop-start and he’s worked ever so hard to get into the condition he is in now,” Coyle said.

“He’s a big, big part of my plans and what I have said to him is that I would be willing to give him a month somewhere so that he can get four or five games in the Championship and then return to us ready to push for that competition in the midfield area.

“Joey is comfortable with that, and that’s the route we’ll probably look.”