THE transfer window is still not officially open but Newport County manager Dean Holdsworth has agreed his fourth deal of the week by bringing in midfielder Graeme Montgomery.

The 22-year-old joins County on loan for the remainder of the season from League One club Dagenham & Redbridge after his loan spell at fellow Blue Square Premier League outfit Hayes & Yeading came to an end.

The 6ft 1ins left-sided player has made 26 league and cup appearances for Dagenham & Redbridge since joining them from non-league Wealdstone in 2008.

He is highly-rated by Daggers boss John Still and has impressed in four appearances for Hayes & Yeading in the last six weeks, playing the full 90 minutes at Spytty Park in the 2-1 defeat to County on November 27.

He joins player-coach Wayne Hatswell from Dundalk and Forest Green pair Mike Fowler and Curtis McDonald as the new arrivals at County this week.

Holdsworth is delighted to have made another addition to his squad before the New Year’s Day clash with Bath City.

“Graeme is one we’ve had our eyes on for a while,” said the Exiles boss. “He can play as a proper winger or in the hole. He’s very mobile and we think he’s an excellent prospect.

“John Still is also a big fan of his and believes we are the right club to help him develop as a player.”

With four arrivals this week, Holdsworth has made room in his squad by releasing Jon Challinor and loan signings Christian Smith and Kerry Morgan.

Smith has returned to Wrexham, while Morgan - part of the Blue Square South championship winning side last season - heads back to Swansea City after failing to make an impact in the Conference.

The departure of Morgan is likely be the biggest source of surprise for the County faithful, the popular winger a huge part of the Conference South winning campaign, resulting in him being a huge fan favourite.

However, boss Holdsworth felt that Morgan had failed to find his best form this season, a situation compounded by the fact that Newport were paying his wages, which can now be reassigned elsewhere with more new faces expected in the January transfer window.

"I love Kerry dearly, we all do, and the door will always be open for Kerry at this club, he could well return one day, I would hope so anyway," Holdsworth said.

"But the best thing for now is for him to go back and presumably get a move elsewhere where he will get more game time.

"He hasn't had the same sort of impact this season as he did last year and in terms of managing the squad and having options to keep tinkering throughout the transfer window, this is the right thing for us to do.

"We have Graeme now, Sam Deering is staying on for another month and we also have Sam Foley who is finally free of problems and will be like a new signing."

Left back Alan Goodall has another week left on his loan deal, while Ben Wright remains an Exile until the end of January.