Former Blues skipper Grant Leadbitter is reported to have turned down the chance to rejoin Town as well as possible moves to a number of other Championship clubs in order to return to his boyhood side Sunderland, currently third in League One.

According to the Northern Echo, the Blues, Stoke and Blackburn all made formal approaches for the 33-year-old offering a bigger wage than the Black Cats.

However, Leadbitter, who joined Town from hometown club Sunderland for £2.65 million in September 2009 before departing for Teesside on a free transfer in May 2012, turned down all interest aside from the Wearsiders'. The move is expected to be concluded before the weekend.

The midfielder is out of contract in the summer and has made only two Championship appearances this season, both back in August.

"He’s a Sunderland lad, and it’d be a wonderful move for him,” Boro boss Tony Pulis said.

"Grant has a lot of affection for Sunderland, as he does with this club.

"We'll do anything we can. But the finances are out of my hands, they’re between both parties.”

Speaking early on in the transfer window Town boss Paul Lambert poured cold water on reports that the Blues were after Leadbitter and Teessiders team-mate Rudy Gestede.

“Well, if somebody’s going to drop a massive nest egg of money in here then you might look at it, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said.

The Black Cats are also reported to have made a £2 million offer to Barnsley for former Blues striker Kieffer Moore, who has scored 15 goals this season.

Moore joined the Tykes from Town for £750,000 in January last year with the Blues believed to be entitled to a 10 per cent of the profit the South Yorkshiremen would make on a sale.

Elsewhere, Portsmouth boss Kenny Jackett has played down the chances of ex-Town defender Matt Clarke moving on in the transfer window despite claims Stoke were readying a £6 million offer.

“First off, we’re not interested in selling him,” he said. “Secondly, we’ve not had an enquiry or a bid. But we’re not interested in selling Matt Clarke.

“We’re not interested, that’s the case. It’s not anything we’d entertain. There’s seven days left. But there’s been no enquiry or bid anyway. Even if there is, it won’t change the stance of the club - he’s not for sale.”

Clarke, 22, joined Pompey from Town in the deal which saw Adam Webster move in the opposite direction in June 2016. The centre-half is understood to have been valued at £50,000 in that deal, which was worth a total of £750,000, and that the Blues will receive 20 per cent of the profit the League One leaders make if and when he is sold.

Former left-back Tyrone Mings has been linked with a loan move back to the Championship from AFC Bournemouth with Derby, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest all said to be interested.

Derby and West Brom are said to be the favourites for the 25-year-old, who left Portman Road for Dean Court in the summer of 2015 for an initial £8 million.

Photo: Action Images

OwainG1992 added 12:09 - Jan 25 Interesting piece this regarding the ex players. Fair play to Leadbitter and best of luck to him at Sunderland. 6mill for Clarke would be a bit of a kick in the gut I always felt we should have kept him.
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BaddowBlue1 added 12:13 - Jan 25 Wouldn't want Leadbitter back and hope that he has success at Sunderland. If my calculations are correct if Clarke goes for £6m then we will get £1.2m back which could be used as a PL War Chest for next season.
4

BlueBlood90 added 12:14 - Jan 25 Not bothered about Leadbitter. I didn't think he was brilliant the first time he was here. Bit of a kick in the teeth to see Matt Clarke become the player everyone here knew he would be. Always felt a bit stupid giving him away as part of the deal for Webster. Even more so if he's going to leave for double the anount we received for Webster.
5

LegendofthePhoenix added 12:17 - Jan 25 Mings please!
3

dirtydingusmagee added 12:23 - Jan 25 usual story really, past mistakes coming back to bite us on the arris
1

Lightningboy added 12:26 - Jan 25 Phew.
3

runningout added 12:33 - Jan 25 We need improvements
2

cobboldblue added 12:39 - Jan 25 lucky escape!
3

Saxonblue74 added 13:15 - Jan 25 We're now at the point in the January window where lots of names will be thrown into the media. The Jenkinson story coupled with this one is a whole lot of what isn't going to happen! The only thing of interest in my opinion would be Mings coming back but again, not going to happen so not a story!
0

osborne1nil added 14:09 - Jan 25 Good. he wasn't great first tie around and certainly wouldn't want him back in a hurry. Knew Clarke was decent and we shouldn't of let him go for 'request away Webster'. how we could use him now alongside Collins.
3

Pencilpete added 15:07 - Jan 25 Good - he is crap
1

ChrisR added 15:21 - Jan 25 If Kieffer Moore is so valuable why on earth did we not keep him to fill the Keane /Quaner positions , in truth they just dont look any better !
4

Northstander_Blue added 15:33 - Jan 25 Not bothered about it
1

JohnyJohnson added 15:51 - Jan 25 Not surprised, wasn't his nickname lead boots here? He probably left on a sour note.
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Toronto_Tractor added 15:55 - Jan 25 Leadbitter amongst others (delaney, walters, rhodes etc) was a victim of the Keane Era. He has showed before and after leaving town, that he is a class player at this level.
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mib added 16:53 - Jan 25 johnyjohnson . those comments of yours are exactly why he left, Toronto Tractor absolutely spot on as he didn't do badly at m/boro did he.
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Warkys_Tash added 17:02 - Jan 25 TT & JJ, Looked class when he first arrived too... I liked him.
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TimmyH added 17:09 - Jan 25 hahaha! ol' leadboots returning here, no thanks!
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LWNR2013 added 19:08 - Jan 25 Good
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JohnyJohnson added 19:16 - Jan 25 Mib my point exactly! Didn't say I agreed with his nick name, just that I remember it plastered all over this website. My view at the time was that the nickname was harsh, much under appreciated similar to the way some viewed Scuse before.
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JohnyJohnson added 19:16 - Jan 25 *Skuse
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JohnyJohnson added 19:17 - Jan 25 Or is it Skuse the scouse... from Bristol
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wayway added 20:23 - Jan 25 The reason we did not keep Kieffer Moore is that he was not one of Boring Billy McCarthy's 'proper blokes'. meaning he had a mind of his own like Paul Taylor
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spanishblue added 20:46 - Jan 25 Paul Taylor was he not done for drugs ,beating someone up in Ipswich,general not so good person could of been a good footballer had some ability,but forgot who is boss was,I'm not a great Mick Mc supporter either
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 07:22 - Jan 26 Not bothered about Leadbitter - if he was ever really in the frame - much more bothered about Clarke. I think I saw him vs Wet Spam for the first time and he didn't look out of place even then. Big mistake to lose him for Webster.
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