'In talks' - Fabrizio Romano transfer update on Leeds United 'target'

Leeds United could be set to miss out on a recently-linked defender with reports suggesting Ipswich Town are in talks to sign Ben Godfrey on loan.

Godfrey emerged as a potential target again for Leeds last month, having regularly been tipped to reunite with his former Norwich City manager Daniel Farke. The 26-year-old only swapped Everton for current club Atalanta in an £11million deal over the summer but has found minutes hard to come by.

Four appearances have totalled just 70 minutes in Bergamo, with Godfrey yet to start a single game and left out of the squad entirely for Thursday’s 2-0 Supercoppa semi-final defeat against Inter Milan. And now Fabrizio Romano has reported on talks between Atalanta and Ipswich.

The Premier League new-boys are said to have entered talks over a loan deal for Godfrey, who has been told he is free to leave Atalanta this month. Romano recently reported that the former Everton man is no longer a ‘key’ part of manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s plans and a return to England has been expected.

Leeds’ Godfrey ‘interest’

Godfrey has been fleetingly linked with a move to Leeds ever since Farke took charge at Elland Road in the summer of 2023, with an obvious connection made between the German manager and his former Norwich player. And the versatile defender’s name resurfaced ahead of the January window once it became clear a move away from Atalanta was likely.

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TBR Football initially claimed Elland Road recruitment chiefs ‘liked’ Godfrey but a move for the two-cap England international would only be possible in the summer, and only if Leeds were promoted to the Premier League. The report centred around top-flight interest from clubs including Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Brighton, Brentford and Crystal Palace.

But Ipswich now look to have overtaken the lot in entering discussions over a loan, which will likely run until the summer. Intriguingly, that does little to rule out summer interest from Leeds who will no doubt be linked with the defender once again if they achieve promotion.

Leeds’ January plans

Elland Road recruitment chiefs will be on their toes in case an opportunity arises to strengthen the squad, but they expect a quiet month in West Yorkshire and Farke has echoed that sentiment. Reports of interest in defenders have intensified as the January window opened, and Leeds are a little light in cover for Joe Rodon.

Nico Elvedi, another former player of Farke’s from Borussia Monchengladbach, has regularly been named as a possible target and reports from Germany recently suggested the presence of an £8.2m release clause. But Leeds have dismissed links as ‘speculation’ and maintain they are expecting a quiet January.

One piece of business that is likely to go through is the loan exit of Joe Gelhardt. There was widespread interest over the summer from the Championship, Scotland and Belgium and that interest remains this month. The YEP understands both club and player are keen on securing a temporary move away.