Championship transfers: Preston North End's play-off rivals keen on Leeds United deal, Coventry close on Palace and Spurs signings
The latest transfer talk from across the Championship as the January transfer window opens for business.
Several clubs are trying to hunt down Preston North End in the Championship promotion race as the battle for a play-off place continues to develop during the second half of the season.
As it stands, Paul Heckingbottom’s side are sitting in fourth place in the table after they collected maximum points from a home game with Sheffield Wednesday and a grreat away day at Bristol City. Several top six rivals are looking to strengthen their squads throughout the January transfer window and the chairman of one club currently sitting just outside of the play-off spots has admitted he is keen to agree a permanent deal for a loan star that has impressed during the first half of the season.
Hull want permanent deal for striker
Leeds United forward Joe Gelhardt agreed to return to Hull City for a second loan stint with the Tigers during the summer and has gone on to score 10 goals and provide three assists in 20 appearances in all competitions.
That has led City chairman Acun Ilicali to praise the Whites forward for the impact he has made and stressed his club have ‘the strength and power’ to pursue a permanent deal.
He told the Hull Daily Mail: “Gelhardt is a special boy. The fans know the story about how much he pushed to come here, plus how much he sacrificed to come back to Hull City. Our target is to have him permanently, he’s our own player We did crazy things last summer; we’re in form and I believe we have the strength and power to bring Joe into our family forever.
“He’s already injured, so a recall makes no sense. We have a clean relationship with Leeds and they’re happy to see their player thriving at the MKM Stadium. They’re doing well in the Premier League now, so I don’t expect them to pull him back.”
Sky Blues close on Palace deal
Coventry City are hoping to secure a loan deal for a Crystal Palace winger as the Sky Blues look to boost their bid for promotion into the Premier League.
Almost 25 years have passed since Coventry were a top flight club - but Frank Lampard’s side are currently in pole position at the top of the Championship and hold a six-point advantage over second placed Middlesbrough despite only winning one of their last five games. However, the former England midfielder is reportedly close to strengthening his squad with the loan signing of Palace winger Romain Esse.
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner has revealed the former Millwall youngster is set to head out on loan amid reports of interest from Coventry and suggested he needed to make a temporary switch to ‘reignite his career’.
As per Coventry Live, he said: "Yeah it looks like [it]. Not yet, but he won't be part of our squad tomorrow. It's better for him. We talked together. It's finding the best environment for him as a player, to reignite his career. I still believe in his talent but I didn't have the feeling that he brings to the team what we actually need, and that's why I played for example [Christantus] Uche in front of him, when we needed a bit of physicality.
"Right now, his way of playing didn't exactly what we needed at the moment. That's why it's better for him to go on loan and get more minutes and develop. He's a good boy, with good talent, but I didn't give him the minutes for his personal development."
Coventry are also expected to secure the loan arrival of Spurs youngster Minhyeok Yang in the coming hours. Reports claim he has left Championship strugglers Portsmouth, where he scored three goals in 17 appearances on loan, ahead of another temporary switch to the league leaders.
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