Grant Leadbitter doesn’t want to drop down to League One if he leaves Middlesbrough so do Nottingham Forest now lead Sunderland in race for his signature?
Grant Leadbitter looks set to leave Middlesbrough this summer after six years with the club, with the Northern Echo reporting both Nottingham Forest and Sunderland are interested.
Forest manager Aitor Karanka knows Leadbitter well from his time in charge at Boro and is keen to sign the midfielder as he completes an overhaul of his squad.
The Black Cats, meanwhile, are a club that the 32-year-old holds close to his heart having come through the ranks at the Stadium of Light and spending four years in their first team.
Yet the report claims that Leadbitter – who has two years left to run on his contract at the Riverside – isn’t keen to drop down to League One.
That will come as a blow to Sunderland, who suffered relegation to the third tier of English football after finishing bottom of the Championship less than 12 months after finishing bottom of the Premier League.
It suggests that the Reds now lead the race for Leadbitter, with TEAMtalk claiming the former England Under-21 international has been deemed surplus to requirements by boss Tony Pulis and could leave for a minimal fee.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
