Transfer Gossip (January 15): Barnsley forward coveted | Leeds eye strikers | Blades deal imminent | Boro look to Scotland

Bottom club Sunderland entertain fellow strugglers Hull City on Saturday after seeing Lewis Grabban cancel his loan spell and former Huddersfield striker James Vaughan join Wigan for £375,000.

Bradshaw, 25, who has 18 months left on his Oakwell contract, is also being eyed by Ipswich Town, QPR and Reading but Reds chief Paul Heckingbottom is determined to build rather than sell in order to keep his side out of trouble.

Hull City are preparing to make a third bid for Aberdeen’s Scotland Under-21 international defender Scott McKenna.

The Tigers have also been linked with strikers Northern Ireland’s Jordan Jones (Kilmarnock) and Jack Marriott (Peterborough) and winger Hakeeb Adelakun (Scunthorpe) but the Posh player is a target for Leeds United.

The Elland Road club are also said to be interested in Preston North End striker Jordan Hugill.

Middlesbrough want Hibs midfield star John McGinn but the Easter Road club have already rejected three bids of £1.9m from other clubs and manager Neil Lennon wants £5 for the Scotland international.

Ipswich Town are interested in signing on loan Boro’s Adlene Guardioura, whom Blues chief Mick McCarthy signed Guardiora for Wolves in 2010.

Boro signed the Algerian international for £3.5m from Watford last January, handing him a three-and-a-half-year deal, but a hamstring injury has restricted him to just one senior start for the club.

Ricky Holmes, 30, who previously played for Chris Wilder at Northampton Town and who has scored six times in 26 appearances for Charlton this season, is expected to complete his £400,000 transfer to Sheffield United today.

Bradford City are expected to pursue their interest in Plymouth’s former Rotherham United striker Ryan Taylor, 29, today. Top scorer Charlie Wyke is sidelined swith a back problem and manager Stuart McCall urgently needs cover.

The Bantams have also been linked to Blackpool defender Kelvin Mellor.

Doncaster are interested in Woking winger Nathan Ralph, 24, fbut so, too, are Charlton Athletic, Bury, Oxford United and Dundee.

Rotherham manager Paul Warne will get funds to strengthen his midfield following the six-figure sale of Lee Frecklington to Lincoln City.