AFC Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson had to rejig transfer window plans in hectic finale

It was a hectic transfer deadline day at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday.

After losing four loanees – Ryley Towler, Paris Maghoma, Kyle Hudlin and Nathan Young-Coombes – three of which were unexpected, Johnnie Jackson had to alter his January window transfer plans.

The Dons were also under the assumption that Ayoub Assal would be staying, with the summer looking like a possible exit point for the 21-year-old forward.

But once Qatari side Al-Wakrah paid the release clause of the academy graduate, the Dons had five bodies to replace, plus chasing their main January targets.

The South Londoners completed two early deals, fighting off competition to sign 20-year-old forward Ali Al-Hamadi on a permanent deal from Wycombe and bringing in Armani Little on loan for the rest of the season.

Winger Sam Pearson also arrived from Bristol City after Ryley Towler was sold by the Robins to Portsmouth. Saikou Janneh also arrived on loan from Cambridge.

Wimbledon really kicked into gear on Tuesday, with Kasey McAteer joining from Leicester and Diallang Jaiyesimi arriving from South London rivals Charlton – both on loans.

“He’s someone I know well from my time at that club,” said Jackson of Jaiyesimi, who made 29 appearances under the Dons boss last season at Charlton.

“He’s the sort of player that will get bums off seats and people really excited. He’s a winger, a forward or a 10 and can play up front. He gives us versatility across all of those front positions. He wants to get at people, can go both ways and play off either wing.

“He’s good with both his feet and can score goals. He’s someone who can contribute from both crosses and wide areas. He’s a hard worker, and he was someone I relied on many a time when I was his manager previously.

“Having that connection and worked with him before, I know exactly what I’m going to get. He will be a real asset to the football club.”

The Dons also brought in Aaron Pierre as cover for Paul Kalambayi and Alex Pearce. The 29-year-old joined on a permeant deal for the rest of the season.

Perhaps Wimbledon’s best piece of business on deadline day was keeping hold of Jack Currie. The 21-year-old, who has two-and-a-half years to go on his deal, was subject to several bids from Championship side Bristol City as the window crept towards closing.

Zach Robinson returned to Dundee on loan for the rest of the season to help fire them towards a potential promotion to the Scottish Premiership. And Paul Osew had his contract terminated by the Dons by mutual consent.

“I’m really happy with the business we have done,” said Jackson. “It has been a different window to what I was expecting at the start of January, just due to the nature of the outs which we had.

“Some of the business that we ended up doing, we weren’t foreseeing that we would do. With the guys that I have managed to bring in, we have come out of the window in a positive place, and we enter February – the second half of the season – in a great place as a football club.

“Hopefully we can kick on and have a really strong second half of the season. To do that, we had to bring in the type of guys that we have.

“It’s a real mix of good experience and younger lads who are hungry. What I know about every one of them was that they’re great characters who want to be a part of what we’re doing here.”

The Dons are three points off the play-off spots in the league and head to Leyton Orient tomorrow.

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD