Football League World

Highlights

Robbie Keane's time at Leeds United was marked by financial struggles and underwhelming performance.

His move to Tottenham Hotspur revitalized his career, becoming a club legend with 122 goals and 35 assists.

Keane's final stats at Leeds include 56 appearances, 18 goals, and a price per goal of £666,667.

Robbie Keane is a name synonymous with football fans across England for his exploits for various clubs in the Premier League.

A clinical finisher, the former Irish international has over 300 career goals to his name and is best known for his time at Tottenham Hotspur, where he became a club legend.

But, had his move to Leeds United worked out, then we may never have seen him play for the North London club.

His 2001-02 season in Yorkshire was one of the most barren in his career and the financial ruin the club were about to experience meant that he had to be sold to Tottenham for a cut-price fee.

For Leeds fans, the promise he displayed while on loan from Inter Milan the previous year may still be fresh in their memories and the £12 million transfer of Keane should still be viewed as what could have been.

Robbie Keane's Leeds loan-spell

After impressive spells at both Wolves and Coventry City, Keane made a huge jump to sign for Italian giants Inter Milan for a fee in the region of £13 million. Manager Marcello Lippi was believed to be a big fan of the striker, and it was he who pushed for the Inter hierarchy to sign the 20-year-old prodigy.

Unfortunately for Keane and Lippi, just one game into the new season the manager was sacked and new arrival Marco Tardelli quickly determined that he did not see a future for the expatriate.

This outcome meant that in December of that year, Keane was searching for a move away from the San Siro and Leeds came calling in search of a new striker.

Now plying his trade at Elland Road, he quickly made his mark, scoring a penalty against Middlesbrough in just his third game for the Whites.

Keane continued to score and his arrival was also met by an upturn in form for Leeds as they lost just four of the 18 league games the striker featured in.

All this success was enough for David O'Leary to pursue a permanent move and, in May 2001, he secured the signing of Keane for £12 million.

Keane struggled after signing permanently for Leeds

Having accumulated £25 million worth of sales over the past two transfer windows, the striker was one of the most expensive men in football.

Seemingly this burden laid heavy on Keane, as in the following campaign he managed a meagre nine goals in 33 games, with just three of those coming in the Premier League.

As the 2002-03 season arrived it was clear that the Yorkshire club were in financial ruin with debts running up to the value of £80 million. This was a result of some ridiculously expensive signings that included the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Olivier Dacourt, Robbie Fowler, and Keane.

These signings were all made in a bid to make Leeds the powerhouse of England, but it never came to fruition and former chairman Peter Risdale was essentially gambling away their future.

The majority of the big-money signings were sold way under their valuation and Keane was one of these as they took a £5 million loss after he was sold to Tottenham Hotspur for £7 million on deadline day.

For the striker, this brought a sorry end to his time at Elland Road, never fully making his mark on the club.

Keane fared much better at Tottenham

His move to Spurs proved the highlight of his career as Keane went on to spend eight years at White Hart Lane across two spells.

During that time, he became a real modern-day legend as he netted 122 goals and provided 35 assists across 306 games.

Persistently scoring over 10 goals each season, the Tottenham faithful always knew they could place trust in the Irishman, who eventually left the club permanently in 2011.

Post Spurs, he spent time at West Ham and Aston Villa, but it was at LA Galaxy where he found a home once again, as he netted 104 goals in 165 games towards the end of his career.

Looking back, it is clear that Leeds did not get the player that many other sides received. However, had financial ruin not impacted the club as heavily as it did, he may have been given more of a chance to display his goalscoring prowess across an extended period.

Highlights

Millwall close to signing Japhet Tanganga on a permanent contract.

Ex-Tottenham defender's decision ends interest from multiple clubs.

Two-year deal at The Den to strengthen Neil Harris' backline for 2024-25 season.

Millwall are closing in on a significant transfer coup as Japhet Tanganga is set to sign a permanent contract with the South Bermondsey outfit.

The Lions have been waiting on a decision from the ex-Tottenham defender for well over a month, with multiple clubs keen on his services, including Luton Town and Parma of Italy.

However, as first reported by Luca Bendoni, Tanganga is poised to pen a two-year deal at The Den, which will significantly strengthen Neil Harris' backline for the 2024-25 season.

Tanganga graduated from Tottenham's academy and made 50 appearances across all competitions prior to his departure, while he endured a tough loan stint with Bundesliga outfit FC Ausburg prior to making the January switch to Millwall.

Millwall set to complete Japhet Tanganga coup

The defender spent the second half of last season on loan at Millwall and played an instrumental role in their survival, helping them to win eight of their final 13 league outings as Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town joined Rotherham United in League One instead.

Should the move go through, Tanganga will be ineligible for Millwall's opening three matches against Watford, Bristol City and Hull at the start of next term after receiving a direct sending off in their clash with Swansea City on the final day of the season.

Nonetheless, he is set to be unveiled as Millwall's opening signing of the summer transfer window, which represents an extremely strong start from the Lions ahead of next campaign, where they will be looking to improve on last season's 13th-placed finish.

Japhet Tanganga signing will significant strengthen Millwall

Given how well Millwall ended the season under Neil Harris, there is every reason to be optimistic going into the 2024-25 season.

And adding Tanganga on a permanent basis will only give the club's fans more reason to be a bit cheerful and be expectant of a push on the play-offs once more after they struggled for the majority of 2023-24.

Tanganga has top level experience and at one point was tipped to really make a breakthrough at Tottenham, but he soon fell down the pecking order and now finds himself rebuilding in the Championship.

Alongside Jake Cooper, Tanganga could build a formidable partnership and be a fearsome duo for many Championship attackers, and given there was interest from overseas in his services too, Millwall have done well to get him tied down to a multi-year deal.

Now, Harris and his coaching staff must kick on in preparation for the new campaign, with further additions likely to come - the future of Zian Flemming may be uncertain, but at least they have got one major deal over the line.

Highlights

Leeds United targets Tottenham's Oliver Skipp for promotion bid.

Skipp previously played under Daniel Farke at Norwich City, showcasing strong performances.

Leeds must use their positive rapport with Tottenham and Farke's connection with Skipp to secure a transfer.

As the new season draws closer, the rebuilding job required at Leeds United has become clearer.

The West Yorkshire side will no doubt remain as one of the clear favourites in the Championship's promotion race over the course of the next 12 months. However, the task facing Daniel Farke is far from straightforward.

United's current situation in the off-season has been well-documented, given the fallout after losing the play-off final to Southampton at Wembley just a few short weeks ago.

The potential exodus of many star performers has been the most concrete transfer discussion surrounding Leeds at present, but the German must also focus on more incomings as soon as possible.

Another Leeds United, Tottenham agreement would aid promotion bid

Leeds and Tottenham Hotspur have seen their clubs coupled with each other at length so far this summer, with the recent departure of Archie Gray to Ange Postecoglou's side, meanwhile Joe Rodon made his loan switch to Elland Road permanent at the same time after becoming a fans' favourite and key performer last term.

But, if the Whites were able to strike another agreement with the North London outfit between now and August 30th's transfer deadline day, it would signal their ambitions as contenders in the top two race once more.

That's if they can attract the anchoring Lilywhites midfielder Oliver Skipp to Elland Road, after the 23-year-old was continuously utilised as a squad player last term as Spurs eventually returned to the European football stage, finishing in fifth place.

A pursuit of the previously 24-cap England U21 international would further highlight the strength-in-depth within the midfield department, with Skipp's ability to progress the ball forward in particular, a key strength, which would allow for the likes of Joel Piroe, Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford to eventually prosper in forward areas.

Furthermore, Spurs adopted a high-octane style under the former Celtic boss, not too dissimilar to Farke's model with the second tier side, which in a plethora of other seasons, would've been enough to see the Whites over the dotted line and back to the Premier League.

However, Skipp does have previous experience of doing that under his management, which is an exciting prospect for the Leeds faithful.

Oliver Skipp's previous spell under Daniel Farke

Skipp was almost an ever-present in the second of Farke's title-winning seasons with Norwich City in 2020/21, featuring in 45 league games - 44 of which were starts.

The remit for the Welwyn Garden City-born midfielder remained the same as his current role when called upon for Postecoglou, linking seamless transitions between the defence and attack, which allowed for the likes of Emi Buendia and Teemu Pukki to net 41 goals as the East Anglian side stormed the division with 97 points to their name.

Skipp's defensive metrics also showcased a combative nature to his game, which was needed alongside the likes of Kenny McLean in the middle of the park.

Such was the high nature of his performances, Skipp was named alongside five other Canaries in the Championship Team of the Season for the campaign, and his game has since gone on to improve further, despite facing strong competition for places at Tottenham with the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.

A move for the deep-lying playmaker could also see the versatile Ethan Ampadu continue at centre-back for Leeds at the start of the season, with the Welshman impressing in the role, as the club also look set to lose their captain and stalwart, Liam Cooper, upon the expiration of his contract.

Leeds United will hope Oliver Skipp opportunity arises

Whilst it's good news that Leeds have been linked with a player of Skipp's ability, the downside is that a report from football.london claims that a move may not materialise this summer.

This news could prove to be a damning blow to Farke's midfield rebuild, having already lost the versatile Gray's services, whilst Finnish box-to-box midfielder Glen Kamara has been linked with a move to Ligue 1 outfit Stade Rennais, despite United's reluctance to see the former Rangers man depart

The best possible outcome for Leeds is that Tottenham continue their philosophy which was highlighted in Gray's acquisition to fulfil the Premier League's homegrown quota move, before letting go of their academy graduate who has made 106 appearances in Lilywhite.

Whilst no other potential destinations have been mooted, it would be naive not to assume that clubs of a higher standpoint than the Whites will be monitoring the midfielder's situation.

However, Leeds must use the positive rapport they currently hold with Spurs, as well as Farke's pre-established connections with Skipp to force a transfer when the opportunity arises to further aid a promotion push.

Highlights

Luton Town, Birmingham City, and Oxford United are all keen on Tottenham's Jamie Donley.

Oxford's interest in the player was first reported last month.

Birmingham boss Chris Davies will be hoping to use his contacts to get a deal over the line.

Luton Town and Birmingham City have joined the race to recruit Tottenham Hotspur attacker Jamie Donley, according to football.london.

The 19-year-old, who has made a handful of senior appearances for Spurs, is yet to secure a considerable amount of first-team experience under his belt and this summer could be the time when he makes a loan move away from the English capital.

Donley has done very well for the North London side's academy, with his performances for the club's U21 team potentially playing a big part in allowing him to generate plenty of interest in recent times.

Able to operate as a striker and a central advanced midfielder, his versatility could come in handy for Spurs next term, but there are others ahead of him in the pecking order that could end up limiting his game time.

Alejo Veliz could potentially play a part after returning from his loan spell at Sevilla and Troy Parrott has also made his case to Ange Postecoglou following an excellent temporary spell in the Netherlands during the 2023/24 campaign.

Richarlison, meanwhile, is likely to play a big part next season and Timo Werner has re-joined the club on loan, which could persuade Spurs to sanction a loan exit for Donley.

There's plenty of time left to go in the summer window too, which will allow Postecoglou's side to strengthen their attacking options further before potentially loaning out teenager Donley.

Jamie Donley attracting plenty of EFL interest

Oxford United's interest in the 19-year-old was reported last month, with Des Buckingham looking to build a side that's capable of remaining in the Championship.

They reportedly remain in the race for the player, but they aren't alone, with second-tier rivals Luton also thought to be keen on the player.

With the Hatters only just coming down from the Premier League, they may be in the strongest financial position to get a loan deal over the line, but who offers the most game time could potentially play a key role in who wins the race.

Birmingham, another interested team, may fancy their chances of securing an agreement with former Spurs assistant Chris Davies currently in charge at St Andrew's.

All three interested teams may be able to offer Jamie Donley an exciting role next season

Luton are likely to be pushing for promotion again and Donley may want to be a part of a potentially exciting campaign at Kenilworth Road.

However, whether he will win a decent amount of game time remains to be seen, with the Hatters having plenty of forward options.

John McAtee looks to be a similar type of player to Donley - and Joe Taylor could also play a role after impressing on loan in the EFL last term.

Oxford, however, could potentially start him in an advanced midfield role, potentially ahead of the likes of Ruben Rodrigues and Tyler Goodrham.

But what system Buckingham goes with next term may determine how much game time Donley wins.

The teenager isn't even guaranteed a starting spot in League One with Birmingham, who could potentially make a number of high-profile signings, but he could be part of a promotion-winning season under a familiar face in Davies next term if he makes a temporary move to St Andrew's.

Highlights

Tottenham Hotspur rekindle interest in Birmingham City's Rico Browne after contract rejection.

Browne previously had a trial at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and impressed in a North London Derby youth game.

Birmingham City's academy has produced talents like Jude Bellingham, but Browne's future remains uncertain.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly rekindling their interest in Birmingham City youngster Rico Browne after he snubbed a contract offer from Blues.

That's according to a report from Football Insider, with the North London outfit said to be long-term admirers of the 20-year-old defender after the reported rejection of fresh terms at St Andrew's @ Knighthead Park.

Birmingham are preparing for their first season in League One since 1995 under the management of Ange Postecoglou's former Spurs assistant, the newly-appointed Chris Davies.

A summer of turnover in this part of the West Midlands was always to be expected, given the ambitions of American ownership group Knighthead, fronted by businessman Tom Wagner and former NFL icon, Tom Brady.

However, it would seem that one of Blues' Wast Hills academy graduates no longer sees himself as part of the club's plans to restore momentum amid well-documented ambitions despite relegation from the Championship.

Tottenham Hotspur plot fresh move for Birmingham City youngster

As per this latest update via Football Insider, the defender has snubbed the idea of a new contract with the third tier outfit, which has led to Spurs re-registering their interest in a previous target.

The same publication had revealed back in 2021 that Browne was given a trial period at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium towards the back-end of Jose Mourinho's tenure with the club, and after making an impression in a North London Derby youth game against Arsenal, but failed in their pursuit despite tabling an offer amid further interest from West Ham United and Brighton and Hove Albion.

However, the St Kitts and Nevis youth international would then go on to sign his first professional deal with Birmingham in the summer of 2022 after the aforementioned barrage of speculation.

Furthermore, the Lilywhites' interest continued to show last year, as they faced competition from Manchester United, having impressed whilst captaining the youth sides of the Second City club.

At the end of this season, Blues announced via their retained list that Browne and Brad Mayo were offered professional terms this off-season, with Mayo eventually putting pen-to-paper on a fresh two-year contract.

However, the uncertainty surrounding Browne's future remains, which has led to yet another swoop from Tottenham and Brighton.

Rico Browne's 2023/24 campaign

Despite being so highly-rated through his performances in youth football, Browne is still yet to make a senior appearance for Birmingham.

Blues' academy system has come to prominence in recent years, with many youngsters in B9 hoping to emulate the well-documented and rapid rise of former graduate, current England and Real Madrid sensation, Jude Bellingham.

Browne made 14 appearances in the U21's side under Steve Spooner in the first half of last season, before being sent out on loan to local side, Rushall Olympic of the National League North.

After making the temporary switch to Dales Lane last December, the defender made 18 appearances for the Pics, aiding their eventual survival in their first-ever campaign at sixth-tier level.

He scored once for the Pics, which came in a shock 1-0 away victory at Chester, as well as registering assists against Curzon Ashton and Boston United.

Birmingham City shouldn't be overly concerned by Rico Browne snub

Whilst it's clear that Browne has the potential to become a solid player, supporters perhaps shouldn't be overly concerned by these fresh developments.

It would be nice for them to see yet another rising star reach the first-team pathway under Davies' management, but the ambition the club have already shown in the transfer market means the attention of Blues fans has turned elsewhere.

Leeds United have confirmed the sale of their homegrown talent Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur.

Interest in the United academy graduate had been long-standing from a plethora of sides both in the Premier League and across the top divisions on the continent.

The youngster burst onto the first-team scene at Elland Road last season at just 17 years of age by the time the first game of the campaign against Cardiff City rolled around, before showing the quality and maturity of someone way beyond his years to solidify a starting berth under Daniel Farke.

However, a string of eye-catching performances weren't able to aid the Whites' return to the Premier League after losing the Championship play-off final to Southampton on May 26th.

The Wembley defeat meant there was a distinct possibility that Leeds would lose some star performers across the summer, and Gray is the first of those, as he moves to North London.

Leeds United react to Archie Gray departure

Just days after it seemed that Brentford would swoop under the noses of Tottenham, who have expressed an interest in Gray's services since early March, the collapse of a £35m move to the Gtech Community Stadium has seen Ange Postecoglou's men confirm the signing of the two-time England U21 international after triggering a release clause which activated following the defeat to the Saints a month ago.

Given the history Gray and his family have with his boyhood club, which includes his father Andy, grandfather Frank and great-uncle Eddie - one of Leeds' greatest-ever players - this exit will prove particularly difficult to stomach, and this mood has been reflected in an official statement by the West Yorkshire outfit.

It begins: "Leeds United can confirm Archie Gray has completed a permanent transfer to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for an undisclosed fee, after the North London outfit met a release clause that was triggered by the club’s failure to get promoted at the first attempt."

After reflecting on his breakthrough season, which included the accumulation of 52 appearances across all competitions, the statement finished by claiming that losing the sought-after talent in this fashion has strengthened the club's desire for promotion.

"Understanding the attraction of Premier League and European football, the club, with a heavy heart, agreed the transfer, but the move has strengthened the board’s resolve to ultimately return Leeds to a position where it can meet the footballing ambitions of even its brightest stars," the statement continued.

"Whilst we understand that supporters will be hugely disappointed to lose such a home-grown talent, and a family name so synonymous with Leeds United, the move improves the club’s chance to compete for automatic promotion next season by increasing our ability to build a competitive squad within the league’s financial control regulations."

"Everyone at Leeds United is heartbroken to see one of our own depart and would like to thank Archie for all his efforts and professionalism. He leaves with the very best wishes for his future career and in the knowledge that Leeds will always be his home," the club concluded.

Tottenham Hotspur are showing huge faith in Archie Gray's potential

Tottenham have also released a statement following the conclusion of the deal, which also confirms that the midfielder, who can also perform immensely at right-back, has signed a six-year contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Despite never playing a single minute in the Premier League prior to this move, it showcases the huge trust the Australian boss and Spurs hierarchy have when it comes to realising Gray's eventual potential, which many believe is an extremely high ceiling.

The London club have an infamous history when it comes to nurturing homegrown talents such as Gareth Bale, a career path which Gray no doubt has his sights set on emulating.

Joe Rodon arrival somewhat softens the blow for Leeds United

Whilst the departure of one of Leeds' own has also reportedly left Daniel Farke "seething" and made the German's future in LS11 uncertain as pre-season begins for a number of Championship clubs, the permanent acquisition of Joe Rodon will somewhat soften the blow for Whites supporters.

The Welshman enjoyed a hugely successful stint on loan from Spurs last season, and has now signed a fresh four-year deal with the club and becomes the first addition of the latest rebuild at Elland Road.

Leeds must now add further bodies to their squad in a summer that is already showing similar signs to this time 12 months ago, with the future of many big names left uncertain.

Highlights

Joe Rodon is set to join Leeds United permanently, beating Ipswich Town and Southampton to a deal for around £10 million.

Rodon's return to Elland Road could be part of a double swoop from Tottenham Hotspur, including midfielder Oliver Skipp, says Carlton Palmer.

Former Leeds player Carlton Palmer praises the potential signings, believing they would be a massive bit of business for the club.

Southampton, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town look likely to have missed out on Spurs' Joe Rodon, with Leeds United set to sign the defender permanently in a move Carlton Palmer is impressed by, whilst also believing that Daniel Farke should look to re-sign Oliver Skipp as well.

The Welshman is in the last year of his deal with Spurs in June, meaning he could perhaps be available for a cut-price fee in the summer. Leeds did not include an option to buy in the deal, and it was always likely that he would have approaches from Premier League outfits.

Rodon looks set to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer, having struggled to establish himself in the first-team picture ever since arriving from Swansea City in October 2020. Leeds lost to Southampton in the play-off final and Russell Martin's team are one side to have been linked recently with a move for the Wales international. On top of Southampton, it has been reported that the Spurs defender is also attracting interest from the likes of Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

However, a recent update from journalist Alasdair Gold has revealed the Tractor Boys’ interest in securing a deal for the 26-year-old at the potential expense of Leeds, with a bid knocked back for the defender. Regardless of whether he came back to Leeds or not, more depth and quality was required in central defence this summer, with Liam Cooper yet to put pen to paper on a new deal, Robin Koch moving on permanently and Charlie Cresswell set to move to France - that latter deal has collapsed, but a departure feels likely still given how far the young defender got through the exit door.

Diego Llorente and Max Wober's futures are also uncertain at this stage - and both could potentially move on either on loan or permanently following the Whites' failure to secure a Premier League return at the first time of asking. The latest comes from talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, who states that Rodon is set to return to Elland Road.

That's after recent reports from the Yorkshire Evening Post outlined positive news that the defender is reluctant to start afresh with a new club next season amid speculation over his future. It was thought that Rodon could probably be sold below market value, but that was still likely to be around the £10 million mark.

It has since been confirmed by Graham Smyth that Rodon will be coming in permanently if he returns to Elland Road, which would be a big boost for Leeds. They look set to beat Ipswich Town and the Saints to a deal for around £10 million.

Carlton Palmer reacts as Joe Rodon closes in on Leeds return

Ex-England international and former Leeds man Carlton Palmer is excited at the prospect of Rodon signing, whilst he has urged Farke to make it a double swoop from Spurs by also adding Oliver Skipp.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, he said: "With Leeds having to sell one of their prized assets in young Archie Gray, who looks to be on his way to Spurs, Leeds have to comply with the PSR deadline over the next few days.

"But great news that's coming out is around Joe Rodon, who spent last season on loan at Leeds and made over 50 appearances for the club, could be coming the other way as part of the deal.

"This would be a massive move for Leeds. Yes, they're losing one of their talented players in Archie Gray, but they will have received a huge amount of money and also brought in a player that made an impact last year with over 50 games.

"He is expected to leave Spurs this summer, as he is not a part of Ange Postecoglou's plans.

"Another player that I know worked with Daniel Farke at Norwich City, and a player he is very interested in is Oliver Skipp.

"It's perhaps thought that a deal could include Rodon and Skipp, plus money for Gray. I mean, that would be a massive bit of business.

"Skipp was involved for Farke when they got promotion at Norwich, and they would be a massive bit of business for the football club."

Joe Rodon's Leeds impact

Most Leeds fans will have been preparing themselves for transfer disappointment regarding Rodon this summer, so the news will come as a huge boost to the club.

The 26-year-old has just enjoyed one of the most successful loans in the entirety of the Championship with the Whites - establishing himself as one of the best centre-backs in the division, as well as a firm fan favourite in West Yorkshire, despite defeat in the play-off final.

Rodon was almost ever-present and made 50 appearances for the club in all competitions last season, with the team competing for promotion back to the top-flight at the first time of asking throughout his tenure. Rodon was part of a formidable centre-back partnership with Pascal Struijk at the heart of Leeds' defence during the first half of the campaign, and a similarly excellent one with Ethan Ampadu in 2024.

Some continuity will be needed from the Whites next season, and is especially important in the spine of the team, where relationships have been built throughout the season, both on and off the pitch. Rodon, Struijk, and Ampadu arguably gives Leeds the best defensive axis in the Championship when played together, and that is priceless.

Not only that, but it softens the blow of Gray moving the other way to North London, but Rodon's importance to Farke's side should not be understated whatsoever.

A fresh update has emerged regarding Leeds United's interest in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Oliver Skipp.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke is an admirer of the 23-year-old, especially considering he stood out in the German's Norwich City side that won the Championship title in 2021.

The Whites are likely to be in the market for a new midfielder this summer, with youngster Archie Gray poised to sign for Tottenham and Glen Kamara attracting interest from Stade Rennais.

While Farke would no doubt be interested in reuniting with Skipp at Elland Road, it seems unlikely that a move will materialise this summer, according to football.london.

It is likely that a number of Premier League clubs would be keen on a move for Skipp if he is made available by Spurs this summer. Ange Postecoglou must also make sure he has enough players who can fill their homegrown quota for the Europa League next season before he sanctions a departure for Skipp.

The midfielder has made 106 first team appearances for Tottenham, including 24 games last season, although he is reaching the stage of his career where he will want to be a regular starter.

Farke may hope that his previous relationship with Skipp is enough to convince him to drop into the Championship, although that is highly unlikely with Premier League clubs keeping tabs on the 23-year-old.

Joe Rodon is expected to return to Elland Road

One player who could be convinced to sign for Leeds despite interest from the top flight is defender Joe Rodon.

The Welsh international spent last season on loan at Elland Road, and is likely to return to the club while Gray goes in the opposite direction as part of a separate deal.

Newly promoted Premier League sides Ipswich Town and Leicester City were reportedly interested in a move for the 26-year-old defender, but it seems as though he will opt to return to Leeds for another season of Championship football.

Ipswich had a £10m offer rejected for the centre-back, so Leeds should feel as though the transfer is a real coup for them despite Gray leaving to join Spurs at the same time.

Skipp would be an outstanding signing

While it looks highly unlikely that Skipp will join Leeds this summer, there is no doubt that Farke will be keeping tabs on the midfielder's availability in case an opportunity presents itself to bring him to Elland Road.

Skipp played 45 games in the Championship for Norwich under Farke during their 2020/21 Championship title-winning campaign, and was instrumental in the middle of the park.

Following news of Gray's impending move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and with the potential of Kamara also departing the club this summer, Leeds must ensure they have enough options in central midfield ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

If it does turn out that Skipp is unattainable for Leeds during this transfer window, they must quickly turn their attention to other targets to avoid being short of options going into next season.

Highlights

Leeds United are set to sign Joe Rodon from Tottenham Hotspur.

This deal looks set to be separate from the Spurs/Gray one.

Ipswich Town were in the mix for Rodon, but Leeds look set to have won the race.

Leeds United are set to sign Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Joe Rodon, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook.

The Wales international's future was unclear following the Whites' play-off final defeat against Southampton back in May.

If Leeds had come out on top against the Saints, that may have made it all but inevitable that Rodon would make the move back to Elland Road, with the player doing more than enough to justify a permanent switch.

But with Leeds needing to balance the books and the player's contract expiring next year, reducing the chances of a loan deal being struck, it was uncertain whether the Championship side were going to seal a return for him.

Regardless of whether he came back or not, more depth and quality was required in central defence this summer, with Liam Cooper yet to put pen to paper on a new deal, Robin Koch moving on permanently and Charlie Cresswell set to move to France.

Diego Llorente and Max Wober's futures are also uncertain at this stage - and both could potentially move on either on loan or permanently following the Whites' failure to secure a Premier League return at the first time of asking.

Ethan Ampadu, meanwhile, may be required in central midfield next season and that could reduce the number of options that Daniel Farke has at centre-back.

Leeds United set to sign Joe Rodon

As mentioned above, it was previously unclear whether Leeds would be able to recruit Rodon after failing to secure a top-flight return in May.

However, Archie Gray looks set to sign for Spurs and that could help the Welshman seal a return to West Yorkshire, even though it won't be a swap deal.

Graham Smyth believes Rodon will be coming in permanently if he returns to Elland Road, which would be a big boost for Leeds.

They look set to beat Ipswich Town and the Saints to a deal.

Leeds United will have very mixed feelings about recent Archie Gray and Joe Rodon news

Losing Gray is a big blow and it wouldn't be a surprise if there's a very negative reaction to his departure on social media.

Considering his potential, he's arguably the last player that Leeds should be looking to sell. However, some would argue that the books need to be balanced and the sale of the teenager could help the Whites in that quest.

Even with this financial argument in mind, his departure will still be painful for Leeds fans, who would have wanted to see Gray stay at Elland Road for a considerable amount of time.

Signing Rodon is a big boost though, with his performances helping the Whites to secure a place in the promotion mix last term.

His contributions could help to win Leeds a place in the top flight at the end of next season, so this swap deal may not turn out to be a good one for Farke's side.

With a vocally ambitious ownership group, Birmingham City will be striving to make an immediate return to the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.

After Tony Mowbray stepped down from his post due to an ongoing health condition, Chris Davies was recently the man elected to oversee Birmingham City's promotion mission from League One, where they hadn't been for more than 20 years.

Formerly assistant to Brendan Rodgers at Swansea City, Celtic and Leicester City, the 39-year-old Head Coach held the same role under Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur last term and Blues supporters may just have hopes of a North London raid.

That could well take place in the form of acquiring striking prospect Jude Soonsup-Bell, who could be set to depart the club.

Jude Soonsup-Bell's current Tottenham Hotspur situation

According to a claim made by BBC reporter Nizaar Kinsella (June 28, 11:47am), Spurs striker Soonsup-Bell is attracting interest across the EFL when it comes to both permanent and loan deals.

It's believed that Soonsup-Bell, who was previously prolific for Chelsea's academy, had been courted in January, with Spurs rebuffing such propositions at the time.

The existing familiarity between Soonsup-Bell and Davies could work in Birmingham's favour, as you can likely imagine that Spurs will want the young forward to develop in a comfortable and cohesive environment if they are to decide that they want to loan him out rather than sell.

Relationships and connections are often pivotal in successful transfer deals, which this theoretical one would certainly have the potential to be.

Birmingham will be looking for fresh, younger options in the striker next term after the return of impressive loanee Jay Stansfield to parent club Fulham, and his impression on loan should create a blueprint for Davies and co to replicate once again.

Chris Davies should bring Jude Soonsup-Bell to Birmingham City from Spurs

There's always a selection of promising academy players throughout the country who simply appear a class above the youth-team game, and Soonsup-Bell fits that criteria.

The 20-year-old frontman has often caught the eye with the academies of both Chelsea and Spurs and he feels primed to graduate to first-team action in the near future, which Birmingham could certainly facilitate.

He was typically more prolific at under-18's level, but his significant upturn in form last year is indicative of a player now finally capable of making the leap of faith into senior football.

Meanwhile, EFL veteran Lukas Jutkiewicz surely represents an ideal mentor for a player like Soonsup-Bell if he stays at City, and the vast array of experience in the 35-year-old's arsenal could be easily translatable and, in turn, wholly beneficial.

With Jutkiewicz registered as Birmingham's only senior striker at the time of writing, it would be unwise and counterproductive for Soonsup-Bell to occupy such a burden, and they need to get further additions in through the door regardless of whether they pursue the Spurs academy star.

He's definitely worth a punt, though, and even though Alfie May is of interest to the Blues as a more proven option, Soonsup-Bell has his career ahead of him and a hell of a lot of potential.

Loan moves that involve young players from the top-flight are encouragingly low-risk by nature; the potential pay-off is that you get yourself a player perhaps already of Premier League class for a meager loan fee and salary percentage, or adversely, you just end up with signing someone not quite cut out for the level, but at little cost.

It's low-risk, high-reward shopping that consistently pays dividends up and down the divisions and Birmingham can benefit from visiting that aisle this summer, even if the club's transfer warchest vastly outstrips those of their League One competitors.