Leeds to suffer second January transfer blow as La Liga side eye ambitious move
Time is slowly but surely running out for clubs to make their moves in the January transfer window.
We are a little over a week away until deadline day on February 1, with plenty of deals expected to be finalised between then and now.
Here is the latest EFL transfer notebook along with insight from the EFL72 newsletter, which you can sign up to using the form below.
Hull to land second transfer blow on Leeds
Hull City look set to beat Leeds United to a transfer target for the second time this month, with the Tigers leading the race to sign Luton Town’s Ryan Giles.
Giles was Luton’s record signing last summer when he moved to Kenilworth Road for £5m, ending a 15-year association with boyhood club Wolves, albeit without making a single league appearance.
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Yet he has found football hard to come by at Luton, leading to interest from a number of Championship clubs, with the 23-year-old having enjoyed a number of successful loans in the division.
Team Talk report that Hull are leading the race to land the full-back ahead of Leeds and one of Giles’ former loan clubs, Cardiff City.
If Giles does move to the Tigers, it will be the second time this month they have beaten Leeds to a target after sealing Fabio Carvalho on loan from Liverpool.
EFL 72 says:“Hull are said to view Giles as a key target to strengthen their play-off push in the second half of the season but, with Luton putting up a brave fight against relegation from the Premier League, it remains to be seen whether Rob Edwards will sanction his departure.”
Birmingham eyeing former Hull target
Whilst Hull may be leading the race for Giles, they have been ruled out of a move for previously-linked Callum Styles.
After conflicting reports from elsewhere, Hull Live have stated the Tigers are not interested in a move for the Barnsley midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Millwall.
That opens the door for Birmingham City, who have also been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old Hungary international.
EFL 72 says:“Thanks to some impressive performances at international level, Styles was previously linked with a Premier League move, but that has not materialised, which seems to clear the way for a Championship transfer. His versatility is a big selling point, with Styles capable of playing a holding role, left-back and on the left of midfield.”
Leeds defender eyed by La Liga side
Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness) claim that Real Sociedad are eyeing up a late move for Leeds United defender Junior Firpo.
The Spanish side are short on left-backs, with Arsenal loanee Kieran Tierney their only available option after they recently lost Aihen Muñoz to injury, and that has led them to assess their options in the transfer window.
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Junior Firpo has struggled to impress at LeedsFirpo is said to be one of the players Real Sociedad are eyeing, along with Man City’s Sergio Gomez.
Leeds signed Firpo from Barcelona in 2021 but he has failed to live up to expectations, leading Real Sociedad to regard the 27-year-old as a realistic transfer target.
Yet the La Liga outfit are also said to recognise that Firpo will be one of their more expensive options, with the full-back having started Leeds’ last three games.
EFL 72 says:“A transfer bid would put Leeds in an interesting position. Whilst Firpo has been underwhelming since a high-profile move from Barcelona, he still carries enough of a reputation to command a decent transfer fee, which would allow some more money to be spent at Elland Road. Yet Daniel Farke has already identified left-back as a position to strengthen this month and selling Firpo would leave them even shorter in that area.”
Bristol City beat Coventry City to non-league star
Bristol Live report that Bristol City have paid £250,000 to land non-league star Josh Stokes from Aldershot Town, beating off competition from Coventry City and Brentford for his signature.
The 19-year-old midfielder has shone for Aldershot this season, playing a starring role as the National League side ran riot against Swindon Town in a 7-4 FA Cup thriller, and he will stay at the club on loan for the remainder of the season.
Bristol City are no strangers to signing players from non-league football, having signed Alex Scott from Guernsey in 2020 before selling him to Bournemouth for £25m last summer, with a fraction of the funds raised now being used to seal a deal for Stokes.
EFL 72:“Stokes has been superb for Aldershot this season and it’s a big step up to the Championship, so loaning him back to the National League makes sense. Bristol City have a strong record at developing young players and selling them on, so it’s a sensible move for Stokes to make.”
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