Leeds submit offer to sign £10m-rated Everton star as £2m Sunderland switch also closes in

Leeds United are hoping to end the transfer window with a quality Premier League defensive addition – but their next piece of business will be the sale of defender Leo Hjelde, who has been given permission to undergo a medical with Championship rivals Sunderland.

The Whites are very much in the promotion race after closing the gap on leaders Leicester to nine points, while they now sit just two points behind second-placed Ipswich, albeit having played a game more. Nonetheless, a strong second half to the season will boost Leeds’ hopes of returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

With just days left in the transfer window, Leeds still have a bit of time to fine-tune Daniel Farke’s squad, though the Whites boss has been at pains to insist they will not bring in players just for the sake of it, and will only do so if targeted stars can add something to their current options.

However, the facts of the matter are that Leeds are a little light of cover in defence. Having allowed Luke Ayling to join Middlesbrough on loan for the remainder of the season and, with Djed Spence being sent back to Tottenham and having since joined Genoa, Farke is a little short of quality options at both right-back and left-back.

They are also lacking depth in central defence with Pascal Struijk struggling to recover from a problematic adductor injury that has sidelined the stand-in skipper since the Boxing Day defeat at Preston.

And while defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu has thrived since dropping back to play alongside Joe Rodon in the heart of defence, it is evidentally clear that Leeds would benefit from another option.

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Leeds agree sale of Leo Hjelde to Sunderland

However, Leeds’ numbers are set to be reduced before they swell with another of their defensive options, Hjelde, now on the cusp of sealing a move to Sunderland.

The Norwegian star joined the Whites from Celtic in 2021, but has found first-team opportunites hard to come by.

A centre-half by trade, Hjelde can also operate as a left-back and it is in that position where he started this season in the Leeds line-up.

However, after being subbed at half-time on the opener against Cardiff, Hjelde has only featured in two games since – both in the Carabao Cup, with his last outing coming in the defeat on penalties to Salford in the second round back in August.

Now Leeds have agreed a deal to sell the 20-year-old to their Championship rivals, with Sunderland set to pay a fee of around £2m to the Whites for the Norway U21 international.

Celtic are also owed 15% of the fee as part of the arrangement that took Hjelde to Elland Road nearly three years ago, meaning Leeds will likely just see a return of around £1.5m.

The player is now travelling to Wearside on Monday ahead of the move, and will undergo a medical before signing what will likely be a four-and-a-half year deal at the Stadium of Light.

Black Cats boss Michael Beale wanted to sign Hjelde as defensive cover with the club recently seeing both Dennis Cirkin and Niall Huggins suffer with injuries of late.

Leeds make move to sign Ben Godfrey

With Hjelde’s exit expected to become official later on Monday, Leeds are reported to have made an approach of their own to Everton for Ben Godfrey, who has slipped down the pecking order at Goodison Park under Sean Dyche.

Capped twice by England back in 2021, Godfrey has managed just three appearances in all competitions this season and has been cleared to leave for the right price.

The York-born star is also on Fulham’s radar, while there is also interest in him from overseas with AC Milan also among the sides monitoring his situation.

However, after another Serie A side in Atalanta saw an approach to sign Godfrey fail, The Sun reports Leeds have now made their move to bring in Godfrey.

That deal is reported to be on an initial loan basis, but there are claims the deal will contain an option to make permanent in the summer, with the Toffees understood to be seeking a fee of around £10m for the centre-half.

Godfrey’s versatility could also become useful for Leeds with the 26-year-old also able to cover at right-back and left-back, while he was also used on occasions by Farke at Norwich as a holding midfielder.

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