Details as Championship duo fight it out for Leeds United winger in unexpected transfer deadline day exit — YEP 1/2/24
There could be an Elland Road exit before deadline day comes to an end with Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham City in the hunt for a Leeds United player
By Graham Smyth
Leeds United winger Ian Poveda could join one of Sheffield
Wednesday or Birmingham City in a permanent move before tonight's transfer
deadline
Wednesday's interest was first expressed earlier in the
month, but Birmingham and Tony Mowbray - for whom Poveda played on loan at
Blackburn Rovers - then moved into the driver's seat in the latter stage of the
window. The YEP understands Wednesday have now matched Rovers' offer and the
decision now rests with Leeds and Poveda
The exit, which now appears likely, is an unexpected
development given Daniel Farke's previous words on his reluctance to let anyone
else leave his first team group in this window. But Poveda's involvement this
season has been scant in the Championship, totalling just 144 minutes of
action. Ninety of those minutes came in the second league outing of the season,
ironically enough at Birmingham.
Poveda joined Leeds in January 2020 during the Marcelo
Bielsa era, signing a four-and-a-half year contract that is due to run out this
summer. There was not thought to be an up-front fee involved in his move from
Manchester City to Elland Road, but City were due to make around £1m if certain
clauses were met over the course of Poveda's time at Leeds. There was also
thought to be a significant sell-on clause.
Should a move materialise for Poveda in the final hours of the window he will depart having made just 30 appearances for the Whites, without scoring a goal and adding just a single assist. He spent time on loan with Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers and earned high praise from Bielsa. The Argentine described him as a player with 'physical resources' he had never seen before, but potential never translated to impact for the 23-year-old.
