Leeds United: Whites are gunning for goalkeeper Stockdale
Phil HayPublished: 20:00
David Stockdale.
David Stockdale.
Leeds United have stepped up their interest in goalkeeper David Stockdale amid a wait to see if Manchester City will release Angus Gunn on loan.
Gunn remains at the top of United’s list of goalkeeping targets but the club are looking into Stockdale’s situation after the 32-year-old was told by Birmingham City that he is surplus to requirements.
Angus Gunn.
Angus Gunn.
Stockdale will be allowed to leave St Andrews just a year after signing for Birmingham with manager Garry Monk planning to sign another number one before the 2018-19 Championship season starts.
Leeds also want to add a new keeper to their senior squad and the club are vying to secure the signature of Gunn, the talented 22-year-old who spent the recent season on loan at Norwich City.
Gunn’s profile is on the rise after a convincing year in the Championship and his recent involvement with Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
Southgate drafted Gunn, an Under-21 international, into his squad for a friendly against Brazil in November and the keeper has been training with England ahead of their departure to the World Cup in Russia.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Leeds intend to bring him to Elland Road on a season-long loan as direct competition for Bailey Peacock-Farrell, the Northern Ireland international who finished this term as United’s first choice, but his reputation is likely to attract other offers.
Stockdale was told last month that he had no place in Monk’s plans and Leeds have been exploring the cost of signing a player who won promotion to the Premier League with Brighton in 2017.
He opted to quit Brighton immediately after that promotion and completed a free transfer to Birmingham, signing a three-year deal and saying he “needed a bit of a longer contract†than Albion were offering.
Birmingham, though, became embroiled in a relegation fight and Stockdale is set to move on after 39 appearances for the club.
United are four weeks into the transfer window and still to complete their first new signing as talks over the appointment of a new head coach continue.
Leeds, who are pushing to bring in former Argentina boss Marcelo Bielsa following Paul Heckingbottom’s sacking on Friday, have been chasing Swansea City defender Kyle Bartley and Hull City striker Abel Hernandez.
An offer has been made to Hernandez and the Uruguay international announced over the weekend that he was leaving Hull after four years at the KCOM Stadium, having rejected a new deal.
Hull put forward what manager Nigel Adkins called “one hell of a contract†but Hernandez, who earns in the region of £40,000 a week, will become a free agent at the end of this month. United are hopeful of finalising an agreement with him.
In a statement released on Twitter, Hernandez said: “My time in Hull is now over, everything comes to an end and today I have to say goodbye. Sometimes a fair agreement is not reached and football is like that.â€
