Leeds and Millers in loan deals as window set to close

Leeds will this morning allow misfit striker Noel Hunt to join Championship rivals Ipswich Town, having already granted Nicky Ajose permission to link up with League One strugglers Crewe Alexandra.

United chairman Massimo Cellino has spoken at length of how he does not like using the loan market to bring players in, but Neil Redfearn – the third head coach the Italian has appointed this season – has identified the need to trim his squad.

The former Republic of Ireland striker is due in Suffolk this morning to finalise a loan which will keep him at Portman Road until the turn of the year and is likely to become permanent in the January transfer window.

Ipswich, who are fourth in the Championship, made an unexpected bid for Hunt yesterday.

Hunt has not played for Leeds since the opening week of the season and last featured in a matchday squad during United’s League Cup first-round win over Accrington Stanley.

The 31-year-old has struggled for form ever since his move from Reading 18 months ago and he has failed to score for Leeds in 22 appearances.

His two-year contract expires next summer and he looks unlikely to play for the club again with his move to Ipswich pending.

Ajose has joined Crewe until January 5, just four months after Leeds paid £150,000 to take him from Peterborough United.

Ajose featured in the opening stages of United’s season under former head coach David Hockaday but has been surplus to requirements ever since Hockaday’s dismissal on August 28. The 23-year-old remains under contract at Elland Road until 2017.

Rotherham United were involved in 32 deals over the summer – just one fewer than Leeds – and they began the final stretch to the 5pm deadline today with the addition of one player offset by the departure of another.

Steve Evans has drafted in 21-year-old left-back Reece James from Manchester United on a deal until January 10.

James has made only one appearance for the Red Devils and had a loan spell with Carlisle United last year.

Evans said: “He is an outstanding young left-back, or indeed can be utilised further forward as and when needed.

“Reece is a player who I have watched develop at Manchester United over the last two or three years.

“His ability was not only witnessed by Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes but even more so by current United manager Louis van Gaal, who gave Reece an opportunity to play in the first team back in pre-season and indeed the youngster has been close to being involved at Old Trafford in recent weeks.

“I have continually asked the question in relation to bringing Reece to Rotherham United and I was delighted to hear confirmation over the weekend that the young man can join us from now until January.”

Having already secured the services of Emmanuel Ledesma from Middlesbrough at the weekend, Evans has been busy in the run-up to the closure of the window, and he continued his activity yesterday by sending Robert Milsom out on loan to Bury.

Midfielder Milsom joins the League Two promotion-chasers until January.

One of the biggest deals of the penultimate day on a national level could have a knock-on effect on the final-day dealings of one Yorkshire club.

Former England striker Darren Bent – who once cost Aston Villa £24m – has left the Premier League side to join Championship outfit Brighton on an initial one-month loan deal.

That could facilitate a move away from the Amex Stadium for former Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley striker Chris O’Grady, who is a target for Sheffield United.

Blades manager Nigel Clough has also been courting Dexter Blackstock, who turned down a move to Bramall Lane, saying he wanted to move to a Championship club.

But with no switch to a second-tier rival concluded, the Nottingham Forest striker may still be available for Clough today.

Clough’s decision to allow striker Diego De Girolamo to rejoin York City last night suggests he is confident of landing one of the two strikers.

Di Giralomo is York’s joint second-highest scorer this season on three goals, despite only playing four games for them.

His return to Bootham Crescent is a welcome boost for Minstermen manager Russ Wilcox as he looks to continue the club’s climb away from League’s Two’s relegation zone.

Coventry City are expected to extend the loan deal of SheffieldWednesday’s Gary Madine, with a view to making the deal permanent in January.