Jason Pearce quits Leeds for £300k deal with Wigan

The defender joined United’s Championship rivals this morning for an undisclosed fee, thought to be in the region of £300,000.

Leeds paid £500,000 for the 27-year-old when they signed him from Portsmouth in 2012 and Pearce was the leading appearance-maker in United’s squad having played 112 times.

He lost his place in the club’s starting line-up before Christmas, however, and was replaced as captain by Stephen Warnock.

The recent signing of Sol Bamba on loan from Italian side Palermo added further competition at centre-back and a deal to sell Pearce to Wigan was agreed in principle earlier this week.

He moves to a team who are in the thick of the same relegation fight as United, three places and eight points behind Neil Redfearn’s squad.

Bamba is expected to make his Leeds debut alongside Liam Cooper away at Huddersfield Town on Saturday.