Jon Walters was the only unexpected absentee from Ireland's first training session of the week out at Abbotstown on Monday morning with the Stoke City striker having delayed his journey to Dublin in case progress is made with regard to his proposed exit from the Britannia Stadium.

The 31 year-old striker has been unable to agree a new deal with City due to differences over the length of contract on offer but the club has rejected two offers from Norwich City for the player, the last of them, worth around €2.8 million, having been knocked back late last week.

Martin O’Neill said he was unaware of any detail relating to the player’s latest position but confirmed that his late arrival into Dublin was transfer related.

“Johnny is only (absent) because there may be something happening to him,” he said after training. “He wasn’t completely sure, but there was little point in coming here for this morning and then maybe having to travel back.

“There may be something happening although he’s not terribly sure at this minute but while there is the possibility of something happening to him then I think it’s best that he sees it until the transfer deadline is finished.”

O’Neill suggested that he was happy enough for those players who have already travelled to leave again if a permanent transfer is in the pipeline and they have to do a medical ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s deadline but he said that he anticipated the players’ end of things being done from Dublin in the event of a loan.

Cyrus Christie, it seems, is in with shout of moving on that basis with the defender, who trained fully with the rest of the squad, currently out of favour at Derby County.

The squad’s move from Malahide to Abbotstown seemed to pass off without any problems and the general reaction to the new facilities adjacent to the FAI’s headquarters appeared to be positive.

With so many of the players having been involved over the weekend and a couple having played yesterday, the session was not the most intensive but O’Neill was adamant that there would be no difference in preparation because Friday’s game is against Gibraltar.

“No, absolutely not,” he said. “This game is very important to us and we can’t look at anything else other than trying to win the game on Friday night. The build up will be exactly for that. While today was gentler, it would have been regardless of who we were playing on Friday but really it’s a matter of getting focused now.

“Some players will have come in here, you know yourself, who have been doing very well at club level; one or two perhaps not that brilliantly so far and one or two who haven’t played at all so it’s a matter of gathering together and galvanising everyone for the game.”

Kevin Doyle was due to meet up with the rest of the squad back at the hotel after the session and he should play a full part in tomorrow run out. The squad leaves for Faro on Wednesday afternoon.