Leeds United winger Ian Poveda could leave Elland Road before the 11 pm transfer deadline on Thursday, according to Graham Smyth.
Writing for the Yorkshire Evening Post, Smyth writes that Poveda could join one of Sheffield Wednesday or Birmingham City in a permanent move before tonight’s deadline.
Sheffield Wednesday had registered interest in Poveda earlier in the month, but Birmingham have moved into the driver’s seat. Poveda played under Tony Mowbray – who is now the manager at Birmingham – at Blackburn Rovers.
The decision is now on Leeds and Poveda’s court after Wednesday have now matched Birmingham’s offer for the player.
According to Alan Nixon, Poveda could join the Blues on loan for the rest of the season. However, Smyth says Poveda’s exit could be a permanent move.
This comes as an “unexpected” development as Daniel Farke previously said that he doesn’t want to sell any first-team players this month.
“One we didn’t see coming. Championship duo fighting it out for Ian Poveda in what could be a permanent exit from Leeds United tonight. Understand Leeds aren’t looking at a replacement as it stands,” wrote Smyth on X.
Strange development
Poveda is a Manchester City graduate who joined Leeds in the January window of 2020, signed by Marcelo Bielsa on a four-and-a-half year contract.
He has shown his potential in bits and parts and has been out on two different loan spells, one at Blackburn and the other one at Blackpool.
The versatile attacker has struggled for game time in the Championship. He has managed just 144 minutes of action, of which ninety minutes have come against Birmingham, the club looking to sign him now.
He has made 30 appearances for the Whites and is yet to score a goal for them. So, when fans look back at his tenure at Leeds, he will be seen as a major flop at Elland Road.
There was a feeling that he was a player of great potential, but Leeds failed to get the best out of him. Or we can say, he failed to live up to the expectations.
