Leeds United warned against signing free agent as promotion rivals 'make contact' with Champions League winner

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A look at the transfer news for Leeds United and their close Championship rivals.

The Championship will return to action this weekend and Leeds United will jump straight in against promotion rivals Sheffield United. Daniel Farke’s side will host the Blades at Elland Road this Friday, with every intention of closing the gap on those above them in the automatic promotion spots.

With the international break now coming to a close, let’s take a look at some of the latest Championship transfer news, with the January window fast approaching.

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Journalist warns Leeds away from free agent signing

Leeds have been linked with signing Cheikhou Kouyate on a free transfer after he was released by Nottingham Forest over the summer. The 34-year-old has been at Thorp Arch ‘for several days’ now and a deal ‘remains in balance’, according to Adam Pope.

The Whites have been looking for a short-term midfield option as backup for injured duo Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev. However, Dan Bardell has warned Leeds away from bringing in external players and urged them to consider giving an academy player a chance instead.

“Obviously they are a bit short at the moment. I think they were short anyway and injuries have just added to that,” the Sky Sports and talkSPORT journalist told MOT Leeds News.

“I never think that it’s worth just signing a player for the sake of it. Leeds have got such a thriving academy I think that fans would rather see them utilise that rather than a short-term deal for the sake of it.

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“I’d be wary of entering that free agent market when they’ve got the academy, I think they’re better off looking at what they’ve already got.“

Leeds rivals ‘working’ on signing Champions League winner

Reports linking Jordan Henderson with a sensational move back to Sunderland have captured the headlines lately and Football Insider has followed up with a new report on the situation.

The Black Cats are ‘working on a stunning deal’ to re-sign their former star in the January window and have now ‘made contact’ over a potential deal. Sunderland are pushing to secure promotion at the end of the season and believe that Henderson is someone who can help lead them back to the Premier League.

The report claims that Ajax ‘will not stand’ in Henderson’s way, should he choose to pursue the move in the new year. The offer could reportedly be a short-term deal until the end of the season, followed by a potential 12-month extension for the 34-year-old.

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Henderson kickstarted his career in the red and white of Sunderland before signing for Liverpool in 2011. He spent 12 years at Anfield, succeeding Steven Gerrard as captain and guiding Liverpool to their sixth Champions League title and first ever Premier League trophy. He called time on his Liverpool career in the summer of 2023, opting for a move to Saudi Arabia to reunite with former skipper Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.

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