Sources: Leicester City blocked Leeds United loan-to-buy Harry Souttar offer
Leeds United saw a late loan-to-buy swoop for Leicester City defender Harry Souttar rejected, sources have told Football Insider.
The 25-year-old is out of favour at Leicester but the Championship leaders turned down the proposal.
Leeds, Sheffield United and Everton all enquired about a potential move for Souttar but it was the Whites who firmed up their interest on transfer deadline day.
It is believed the Foxes were not keen to strengthen a potential promotion rival in the mid-season window.
A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Leicester also preferred to sell the Australia international on a permanent basis – but Leeds only came forward with a loan offer which included an option to buy.
Sources say the Foxes were keen to recoup a large percentage of the reported £15million fee paid to Stoke for Souttar just 12 months ago.
The centre-back is currently away at Qatar’s Asian Cup with his Australia teammates and has played in each of their four games.
He has made just four club appearances totalling 188 minutes of football this term, with Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard the current first-choice centre-back pairing for the Foxes.
Souttar, who has a contract at the King Power Stadium running until June 2028, has played 64 times in the Championship.
Leeds sit fourth in the Championship and are one of the sides rivalling the first-place Foxes for promotion back to the Premier League.
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