Everton youngster Matthew Pennington is close to signing for Leeds United on a season-long loan, according to a reliable journalist.
Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Phil Hay reports a deal for the 22-year-old centre-back is “almost in the bag” for the Whites.
Hay posted a message on his personal Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon making the claim.
One centre-back almost in the bag for Leeds United – Matthew Pennington on season-long loan from Everton. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) July 18, 2017
This comes after Hay tweeted a picture which appeared to be Pennington arriving at Leeds’ Thorp Arch training ground earlier on Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Mirror reported that the Yorkshire giants were weighing up a move for the Toffees defender earlier this month, but they were set to face competition from Middlesbrough.
Pennington made the step up into Everton’s senior squad in January of last year, and he has since made nine appearances across all competitions for the club’s first team.
He featured three times for Toffees manager Ronald Koeman’s side last term, and scored once against Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
The 22-year-old also played eight Premier League 2 games for the club’s Under-23s outfit in 2016-17, in which the side kept four clean sheets and only lost twice.
Pennington has been capped by England Under-19s on one occasion, making his debut in the 1-0 friendly win over Turkey in March of 2013.