Sunderland, Rangers, Ipswich Town & Middlesbrough 'eyeing' Leeds United man for January deal with player 'open to move'

A host of Championship clubs, along with Scottish Premiership giants Rangers, are reportedly interested in Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell with the Whites man said to be open to a move away from Elland Road this month.

The 21-year-old has made just six appearances in all competitions for Leeds this season, with Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk Daniel Farke's preferred centre-back pairing so far while Liam Cooper has also been called upon regularly. Cresswell started both of the Whites' Carabao Cup matches this season, with his other four appearances coming in the Championship. However, he has started just one of those games.

Cresswell spent last campaign on loan at Millwall where he made 30 appearances in all competitions and scored five goals as the London club finished seventh in the Championship. He penned a new deal with Leeds in the summer, which runs until the end of the 2026-27 season. He was also a part of the England Under-21 squad which won the European Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania.

However, the Sunday Mirror has reported that Cresswell is open to leaving Leeds in search of regular game time. A number of clubs including Rangers, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Southampton and Blackburn Rovers have all been linked with the player while the Whites' promotion rivals Ipswich Town are the latest side to be credited with an interest.

The majority of clubs linked are reportedly keen on a permanent or loan move for the player. A temporary move would appear the most plausible option at this stage, as Leeds are unlikely to sell one of their academy graduates who is still aged just 21 and has over three years left to run on his Elland Road contract. Rodon is also only on loan at Elland Road, and it is not yet clear if Leeds will be able to afford a permanent deal for the Tottenham Hotspur man once his loan expires at the end of the campaign.