Leeds United have been backed in to sign Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Clayton following a major market shift, according to the latest bookmakers’ odds.
Bet Victor priced the Championship giants at 4/1 on Monday morning to re-sign Clayton, 29, before the January window shuts.
Leeds are second in the betting race only to Nottingham Forest, who are priced at evens, while fellow Championship clubs Sheffield Wednesday (8/1), Cardiff City and Aston Villa (both 10/1) are also tipped.
Sky Bet priced Nottingham Forest as 2/5 favourites last Thursday to land the 29-year-old before the start of February, at which point Leeds lagged way behind at 12/1.
The change in price comes even Leeds signed Clayton’s former Middlesbrough midfield team-mate Adam Forshaw last week for £4.5million.
Manchester City academy product Clayton was on the books at Elland Road between 2010-12, making 50 appearances, during which he scored six goals, before joining Huddersfield.
The midfielder has played 16 times in all competitions for Boro this season, but has figured just three times in the Championship since mid-October, with two of those as a substitute.
OPINION
It will be seen as quite a coup for Leeds if they can sign Clayton, who has extensive Championship experience, was a key member of Aitor Karanka’s promotion-winning side of two years ago and was a regular for Boro during their Premier League campaign as he demonstrated the calibre that once had him tipped for full England honours. There has been a clamour on social media in recent weeks among Leeds fans for the club to re-sign Clayton, who has lost his place in the Boro side in the last few months after being a key man in recent years, including in their doomed Premier League campaign. He was only used as a 72nd minute substitute in their 3-0 win over QPR at the weekend and last started a league clash in November. Yet it is easy to see why Leeds fans would want the no-nonsense central midfielder back at the club. He is a grafter with experience and pedigree who knows what it takes in the second tier. Clayton would strengthen a United midfield that is short on knowhow, guile and discipline, with Kalvin Phillips and Eunan O’Kane now both serving fans. Leeds fans would go into meltdown at the possibility of the 29-year-old returning for a second spell, and it is easy to see why.