Leeds United transfer news: Leeds ‘stepping’ up interest in £27m star, Whites target ‘unlikely’ to stay at current club

Tony Mowbray says his Blackburn Rovers side and Leeds United are poised to take a decision on Whites loanee Ian Poveda.

Twenty-year-old attacker Poveda joined the Ewood Park outfit on a season-long loan last August but the Whites loanee was stretchered off with a serious ankle injury in November’s 1-1 draw at Bristol City.

Poveda suffered a fractured fibula as well as damage to his ankle ligament and the former Manchester City player subsequently underwent surgery.

Poveda has since been recovering back at Leeds but the attacking midfielder was at Ewood Park to watch Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Blackpool and Rovers boss Mowbray says the Leeds loanee could feature in his side’s run in.

Asked if Poveda’s season was over, Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph: “No, I don’t think so. I spoke to Leeds yesterday.

“He’s on the training ground working hard, he hasn’t played any football yet in terms of games, and between Leeds, the boy and ourselves we’ll decide whether he comes and gets involved for the last few weeks of the season with us.

“We’ll then have to assess how he looks on the grass and whether we think he could help us or not.

“We’re still paying our contribution towards his salary so if he’s fit then he should be back and we’ll try and negotiate that he comes back next week.”

Mowbray added: “I don’t do the deals, the deal was done and the deal is what it is.

“It’s probably frustrating for the football club that we’ve been paying his salary for so long without having the player available.

“That’s a resource, but that’s football and you take those chances.

“You probably wouldn’t have been able to do the deal unless certain clauses were in it and you have to make those calls sometimes.”

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