DEFENDER SET FOR CREWE SWITCH

Paul Eaton 09 May 2007 Crewe have been given permission to speak with Liverpool defender Danny O'Donnell over a permanent move to Gresty Road.

O'Donnell has spent the past season on loan with the League One outfit and boss Dario Gradi is now hoping the player can sign a permanent contract. He said: "We have been given permission to speak to Danny and although he won't be a free transfer, we are confident that he will come here. I would be very, very surprised if he doesn't sign for us. "I've spoken to Rick (Parry) and he has told me that we will come to a deal if Danny wants to come here. I've known Rick a long time and have the utmost respect for him, so when he says we will come to an agreement, we will come to an agreement. "Danny is a genuine guy and is as close to signing as you can get to agreeing to a deal. I don't envisage a problem and if there was, then they would have sort it out with Liverpool because he is still their player."