Sources: Club open talks to sign in-form Leeds ace with 4 league assists this season

Founder & Managing Director AUTHORITY Former chief correspondent at Evening Standard, Goal and Press Association with nearly three decades in national, regional and digital news and sports journalism. Wayne directs the network’s news strategy and high-level operations. FOCUS Editorial direction for the 11-site network and newsroom management. THE BRIEF Wayne oversees the network’s editorial standards across the network. He provides the final sign-off on all headline scoops, ensuring content across all platforms meets the standards required for a high-velocity newsroom.

Published on:

12 Dec 2019, 2:30 am

Leeds United are in talks to sell Lewie Coyle to Fleetwood Town permanently in January, Football Insider has learned.

The defender, 24, is out of contract at Elland Road at the end of this campaign and is on loan at the League One club until the end of this month.

A Leeds source has told Football Insider that League One Fleetwood have started discussions about converting Coyle's loan into a full-time deal in the upcoming transfer window.

Marcelo Bielsa is ready to green light the exit of the versatile full-back, who does not fit into his plans for the second half of this season or beyond that.

Football Insider revealed last month that United are ready to permanently sell Coyle in January rather than let him leave for nothing at the end of the season.

He is on a half-season loan at Fleetwood after also spending the entirety of the two previous campaigns at the north-west outfit.

Coyle is a key player in Joey Barton's promotion-chasing side and has played the full 90 minutes of all 17 of their league matches this season.

He has supplied four assists from right-back to take his tally to 14 during his three seasons at Fleetwood.

The defender has made 114 appearances in total for the third-tier outfit and won the club’s Player of the Year award at the end of his debut campaign in 2017-18.

Barton has made it publicly and privately clear he is eager to sign Coyle on a permanent deal.

In other Leeds United news, Noel Whelan has revealed to Football Insider "absolutely huge" takeover news.

Leeds United