Leeds United have opened talks with Fleetwood Town over the permanent transfer of defender Lewie Coyle, a report from Football Insider has claimed.

Coyle is currently on loan with the Cod Army in January, having also spent the entirety of the past two seasons with the League One club on a temporary basis, during which time he has amassed 115 appearances in all competitions for the Lancashire side, winning their player of the year award for the 2017/18 season.

It is thought that Coyle is not in the plans of Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa for the second half of the season and beyond, meaning Leeds are now willing to let the left-back leave permanent.

That is something they are now said to be in talks with Fleetwood about making happen, with Fleetwood manager Joey Barton having previously confirmed they would like to keep Coyle on a long term basis.

Coyle's contract with Leeds is set to expire at the end of the current season, meaning he would be able to leave the Championship promotion chasers for free in the summer, if a deal is not confirmed either way before that point.

The Verdict

This seems like a sensible move for all concerned.

Coyle clearly isn't going to get the chances of regular football that he wants at Leeds, so moving on does seem to be the better decision to take for the good of his career.

Given how well he already knows Fleetwood, and the positive impact he has had on that club during his time there, it seems as though a permanent move to Highbury is a transfer that suits all parties in the current situation.