Breaking: Club 'confident' of signing 44-app Leeds star after talks today
Blackburn Rovers are "confident" of beating Watford to the signing of Leeds United defender Barry Douglas, Football Insider has learned.
The Championship duo are both pursuing the 31-year-old ahead of tomorrow's transfer cut-off and have held talks over a potential deal.
A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Blackburn have leapfrogged Watford to become favourites to sign Douglas on a season-long loan.
The cash-rich Hornets had made the first move for Douglas after, as revealed by this site, they made an approach for him earlier this month.
But Blackburn are closing in on the Scotland international following fresh discussions this morning. They first make contact yesterday over a deal.
Douglas is one of two Leeds players close to leaving on loan, with young midfielder Robbie Gotts putting the finishing touches to a move to Lincoln City.
Proven performer Douglas is set to be playing at a higher level, albeit one in which he will need to drop down from the Premier League.
Leeds had hoped to sell the left-back on a permanent deal and reduced their asking price to increase the possibility.
But Douglas is on relatively high wages and, in the current climate, neither Watford or Blackburn are prepared to commit to a significant transfer fee.
He has failed to make any of Marcelo Bielsa's matchday squads for the first four Premier League fixtures of the 2020/21 campaign.
His only appearance came in the EFL Cup defeat to Hull City and that could prove to be the last of his 44 matches for Leeds.