Report: Leeds now face fight to sign ‘special’ 24-year-old as Championship trio ready moves
Leeds United have been joined in the race by Coventry City, Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough for Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien.
That is according to journalist Alan Nixon, who provided the update on Leeds‘ pursuit of O’Brien on his Patreon as the window heads into the final stretch.
It is said that Coventry, Ipswich and Middlesbrough have all enquired about the possibility of taking O’Brien on loan for the full season.
Leeds are also keen on signing the 24-year-old – who Carlos Corberan hailed as ‘special’ back in 2021 – in a temporary deal as they ramp up their pursuit of a new midfielder.
Forest ideally want to sell O’Brien permanently or include a purchase option in a loan deal, but none of the Championship quartet are yet to warm to that idea.
Leeds face fight to sign Forest’s O’Brien
O’Brien is among several midfielders having been linked with a move to Leeds ahead of Friday’s 11pm deadline.
The Whites are also chasing Rangers’ Glen Kamara and according to Fabrizio Romano, are close to an agreement for the 27-year-old after a summer full of speculation.
Fortuna Dusseldorf’s Ao Tanaka is the latest name on Leeds’ radar with Bild reporting over the weekend that a bid had been submitted.
O’Brien is undoubtedly the most proven of those options at this level, but at the same time, appears to be the most difficult to do.
According to Phil Hay, O’Brien is on a considerable salary at Forest and if the Premier League side want full coverage of his wages, it could put potential buyers off.
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Sky Sports journalist issues transfer update on Tottenham defender Djed Spence amid Leeds United and Southampton links
Leeds United, Southampton and a host of Championship clubs are keen on signing Djed Spence this summer, according to Lyall Thomas.
The Sky Sports journalist spoke to Last Word on Spurs on Sunday (27 August) and claimed that the 23-year-old English full-back’s move to Leeds may be in jeopardy due to a French club recently entering the race to sign him.
However, he also said that there still remain chances of him moving to Elland Road and that a Championship loan is the likely scenario, as things stand.
Thomas said, “Spence is far more likely to leave on loan. From what I understand, they like Spence and want to see how he develops.
“I know there’s a French club for him in the last week so this puts the Leeds move in jeopardy a bit. I think the Leeds move is still there.
“There have been host of clubs abroad and host of clubs in the Championship. Southampton have had a long-term interest in Djed and they maybe move on Kyle Walker-Peters.
“Where I see Djed is in the Championship, most likely.”
Not really needed?
Spence will be a good signing but the Whites have Luke Ayling and Cody Drameh competing for the two right-back positions.
Drameh has wanted to leave in the past and that was down to the fact of him not getting enough game time for the senior side.
If Spence comes through the door, this will make him the third choice and Leeds don’t really need to add to their options at right-back and instead must focus on left-backs.
The Spurs defender was signed for an initial £12.5million from Middlesbrough last summer and it’s fair to say that he’s not lived up to his billing thus far.
Perhaps the Championship is his level but he’s not someone Leeds would need and he can join Southampton or another second-tier club if he pleases.
Leeds can do with a couple of central midfielders and maybe a left-back this window but a new right-back is unlikely to be high on Daniel Farke’s list of priorities.
