Leeds United have confirmed the departure of defender Lewie Coyle on an initial six month loan move to League One side Fleetwood Town.

It will be the full-back's third spell on loan at Highbury, having spent the entirety of the past two seasons on loan with the Cod Army, with his latest move set to keep him on the Fylde Coast until January 2020.

During that time, the 23-year-old has established himself as a popular and reliable figure among the Cod Army, making a total of 93 appearances in all competitions for Fleetwood, being named the club's Player's Player of the Year during his debut season at Highbury.

Coyle, who graduated through the youth ranks at Leeds, has made a total of 23 appearances in all competitions for the Elland Road side.

There are just 12 months remaining on Coyle's contract with Leeds, meaning it will be his final chance to potentially earn himself a new deal at Elland Road when he returns to the club at the turn of the year.

The Verdict

In a way this almost seems like a strange move from Leeds.

The Yorkshire side have been seemingly happy to sell a number of players who have struggled to make an impact at Elland Road during the summer transfer window, and yet this is only a loan move for Coyle.

Given he is in the final year of his contract at Elland Road, it means that Leeds could now miss out on a fee for the defender, and while it may not be the biggest amount, it could still have contributed to something for the club.

You can however understand the choice of destination in Fleetwood, given Coyle's familiarity with the club following his last two years at Highbury.