Transfer talk: Crystal Palace strengthen defence with Adrian Mariappa and Jack Hunt

Stephen Ireland joins Stoke City while Chelsea send Christian Atsu to Vitesse Arnhem close to the transfer window deadline.

Crystal Palace further improved their squad on the final day of the busy transfer window last night with a deal for Reading defender Adrian Mariappa. Clint Hughes / AP Photo

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace further improved their squad on the final day of the busy transfer window last night with a deal for Reading defender Adrian Mariappa, following the signing of full-back Jack Hunt from Huddersfield Town.

Palace manager Ian Holloway had on Saturday recruited Reading winger Jimmy Kebe and has now gone back to the Madejski Stadium to land former Royals teammate Mariappa, 26.

The Jamaica international only moved to Reading last summer, but could not prevent Reading slipping straight back down to the Championship. "I want to prove I can play at this level and I'm sure that will be the same for everyone in the squad as we aim to stay in the Premier League," Mariappa told the club's website.

Stoke City

Stoke City signed Stephen Ireland on a season-long loan from Aston Villa before the transfer window closed. Ireland, 27, follows Austrian international forward Marko Arnautovic to the Britannia Stadium after he completed his £2 million (Dh11.4m) move from German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen.

Stoke manager Mark Hughes managed Ireland at Manchester City, and the club's chief executive, Tony Scholes, hopes the midfielder can recapture the form he showed then.

Scholes said: "Stephen is a player that Mark knows really well and when the opportunity arose, he was keen to add him to his midfield and attacking options. Arguably the most successful period of Stephen's career to date was when he played for Mark at Manchester City and we hope that he can rediscover that form."

Chelsea

Vitesse Arnhem have taken Ghanaian international Christian Atsu on loan from Chelsea for the season. The winger, 21, completed his move to Chelsea from Porto on Sunday and was immediately sent to Vitesse to gain experience in the Dutch league. Cristian Cuevas and Lucas Piazon moved last month and Patrick van Aanholt and Gael Kakuta are spending a second season there on loan from the Premier League side.

West Bromwich Albion

West Brom secured France international midfielder Morgan Amalfitano on a season-long loan from Marseille. Amalfitano, 28, has been capped once by his country, and has made 58 league appearances for Marseille, scoring twice. He has also played for Sedan and Lorient.

Swansea City

Swansea City have agreed to sign Alvaro Vazquez from Getafe on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent move. Manager Michael Laudrup has been searching for another striker to boost his attack after claiming just one win from their first three matches of the season in Sunday's 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion, and the 22-year-old Spainiard would be a valued addition at the Liberty Stadium.

A club spokesman confirmed: "The deal for Vazquez has been agreed in principle. It's a loan deal with a view to a permanent move."

Eintracht Frankfurt

Switzerland midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta, 28, has joined Eintracht Frankfurt for the rest of the season on loan from Schalke. He was deemed surplus to requirements earlier this summer, and after being linked with a move to Italy, has chosen to remain in Germany. Frankfurt become his third Bundesliga employers after Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke.

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