Five Leeds United youngsters in line for January transfer opportunity after managerial switch

Former Leeds U21 man Skubala was appointed Imps boss on Monday, November 13 with the Lincolnshire club sat ninth in League One. The ex-England futsal coach replaces Mark Kennedy who departed Sincil Bank a number of weeks ago, and comes in above interim Tom Shaw who has presided over Lincoln's last five matches since Kennedy's exit.

Leeds expressed their regret at losing Skubala, as well as pride at the fact another young coach has taken a first step into senior coaching in the Football League after holding a prominent position at Thorp Arch. Skubala becomes the second ex-Leeds U21 boss in the past 12 months to be appointed at a League One club, after Mark Jackson - now with Central Coast Mariners in the Australian A-League - took over the MK Dons job last December.

With less than two months until the January transfer window opens, Skubala will take time during this month and over the festive period to assess the options at his disposal in order to determine whether the club need to bolster their ranks during the winter window.

Having worked with the likes of Lewis Bate, Mateo Joseph, Darko Gyabi, Sean McGurk and Sonny Perkins over the past season and a half at Leeds, there is scope for one or a number of the United youngsters to reunite with Skubala.

Perkins is currently out on loan with Oxford United, also of League One, but has struggled for league minutes and could be in line for a January recall if his lack of involvement continues at the Kassam Stadium. Bate and Gyabi, meanwhile, were the subject of loan interest from Fleetwood Town towards the end of the summer window but remained at Leeds and are both candidates for a January switch. Bate spent last season on loan at Oxford, where he featured prominently, but this season is yet to make a first-team appearance under Daniel Farke, restricted to outings in Skubala's U21 side.

McGurk and Joseph - the latter of whom was appointed captain by Skubala - are two of the current U21 crop's brightest prospects. At 20 years of age, both are reaching the stage of their careers where senior football should be sought on a regular basis.

Skubala was widely-regarded as a popular figure and coach at Leeds and remains well thought of within the U21 squad, which suggests there would be few qualms from Leeds' perspective if Lincoln were to come calling for a handful of the up-and-coming Whites youngsters on loan in January.

In the meantime, the 41-year-old faces a tricky test over the next couple of weeks with away trips to fifth-place Stevenage, Leyton Orient and sixth-place Barnsley to contend with.