Late deals provide gloss for Leeds United and Hull City as Yorkshire clubs make beat-the-deadline moves

The cryptic tweet from the club's official site as the clock ticked down to the close of business in one particular transfer window of yore alluded to a late move that never materialized, leaving supporters on tenterhooks and ultimately disappointed.

In stark contrast, Leeds' appetites were sated at the end of the 2026 summer window, as were those of other clubs in the county following some late deals. Less so at others, that said.

Several deal sheets, which allow a club to confirm that a deal has been reached in order to allow for additional time to submit the remaining documentation, were submitted ahead of the 11pm deadline. Clubs then have an additional two hours or until 1am to submit the full paperwork.

Across at Hull City, the late night activity was positively manic, even accounting for the predilection for transfers to go right to the wire at the end of windows under Acun Ilicali.

No less than five transfers were completed in the last few hours of the window, including three announced comfortably after the gongs were heard at 11pm in the shape of Greek defensive midfielder Christos Mouzakitis—whose transfer is reportedly worth £12.8m - winger Sorba Thomas and loan forward Robinio Vaz.

Slightly earlier, a combined total of around £34m had been spent on Everton midfielder Tim Iroegbunam and Genoa full-back Brooke Norton-Cuffy, who spent a spell earlier in his career at Rotherham United.

Thomas' move from Stoke City - which could be worth up to £10m with add-ons - will also stand to benefit former club Huddersfield Town, who had a modest sell-on clause.

Given the number of physically imposing players Hull brought in during the summer, the Tigersare likely to lean heavily on Thomas' set-piece qualities.

Hull allowed wingman Liam Millar to join Birmingham City on loan while Cody Drameh moved to Italy for a fee valued at £3.4m as part of the Norton-Cuffy deal.

After expected confirmation regarding the loan signing of Nice left-back Melvin Bard - Leeds will pay a €1million loan fee with there being a €5m option to buy - the cherry on the cake arrived by virtue of the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jean-Matteo Bahoya on a season-long loan.

His move was confirmed at 12.45am on Wednesday morning.

Leeds will pay a loan fee of £1.7m with the option of a £19.7m transfer - plus up to £4.3m of add-ons - with the onus being on the 21-year-old to earn a loan-term deal.

Bahoya's arrival - a player Hull also wanted - gives Leeds a much-needed fresh striking option.

A player blessed with searing pace, Bahoya - who set the record for the fastest ever sprint speed recorded in Bundesliga history in the 2024-25 season - can potentially provide a new dynamic to United's frontline and his progress will be fascinating to observe.

A side hoping to join Leeds in the big time next season in Middlesbrough finished a head-turning window in fitting fashion after beating several second-tier rivals to the loan signing of in-demand Brighton loan winger Amario Cozier-Duberry, with the ink still dying on his new deal at Albion.

The 21-year-old proved a wow in Bolton's promotion to the Championship in 2025-26 and effectively arrives as the replacement for Morgan Whittaker, who was lined up by MLS outfit Colorado Rapids in a record $13m deal.

Whittaker's mercurial qualities cutting in from the right with his sweet left foot will be an undoubted miss, but it should be assuaged by the signing of Cozier-Duberry, who scored ten times for Bolton last season from that same inverted wing role.

Connor Barron's loan move from Glasgow Rangers slipped under the radar somewhat just after.

But he will provide invaluable defensive midfield cover should anything happen to Sebastian Berhalter or Aidan Morris as Boro ended a strong window with all their boxes being ticked.

The midnight oil was also being burned at Hillsborough after Sheffield Wednesday lined up a marquee striking arrival amid an extensive summer of recruitment in Wrexham's Davis Keillor-Dunn - a difference-maker with proven pedigree at third-tier level from his time at Barnsley.

Beat-the-deadline moves arrived elsewhere, although there will be disappointment at Barnsley after failing to add the additional forward option they craved.

That said, it will be tempered slightly by the fact that Reyes Cleary remains at the club.

Meanwhile, Rotherham United left it late to bring in Peterborough United attacking midfielder Klaidi Lolos and young Huddersfield Town striker George Sebine on loan to take their signings count up to 15 in the best part of two months.