‘We’ll do our best’: Manager admits he could sign Leeds man on loan

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Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson has admitted his interest in signing Leeds United’s Robbie Gotts while highlighting a surplus of central midfielders in his squad to the Sunderland Echo.

Marcelo Bielsa feels a great deal of “guilt” about the lack of match action afforded to the Harrogate-born Gotts since he took over at Elland Road in 2018.

But if the Leeds United boss wants to ensure the midfielder progresses at senior level, a short-term spell in the Football League could be exactly what the 20-year-old requires.

The Northern Echo reports Sunderland are in talks, while Gotts also has admirers at Swindon Town, Hull City and a Huddersfield side coached by Bielsa’s own protégé Carlos Corberan.

And while Parkinson did admit Sunderland weren’t exactly short of midfield options, he did admit reinforcements were required before the 16 October transfer deadline.

“In that area we’ve got a lot of players,” the former Bolton boss said after Tuesday’s 5-3 EFL Trophy triumph over Carlisle United.

“We’ve also got some youngsters of our own in that position.

“(But) there is an area or two we’d like to be stronger and we’ll do our very best.”

Gotts is also capable of filling in at right-back.

However, in Conor McLaughlin, Luke O’Nien and Jack Diamond, the Black Cats aren’t short of players capable of thriving on the flank either.

It seems unlikely Leeds would send one of their most talented youngsters, a player Bielsa himself believes is “full of skill”, to a club where he wouldn’t be guaranteed regular starts.