Portsmouth-linked centre-back poised for Hull move, while £12m Ipswich deal pushes Blues target down Portman Road pecking order
Pompey-linked defender Liam Cooper is poised to join Championship rivals Hull.
The free agent was spotted at the Tigers’ MKM Stadium on Saturday as the hosts were held to a goalless draw by Millwall.
It’s anticipated that the 32-year-old centre-back will rejoin his hometown club this week - more than a decade after being sold by Hull after just 17 appearances.
The Blues were credited with an interest in the experienced former Leeds United captain earlier this month following his Elland Road departure after 10 years of service, with TEAMtalk claiming the Fratton Park outfit were considering a move for the Scotland international.
But that report was quickly shot down by Pompey boss John Mousinho. Speaking to The News, he said: ‘There’s nothing in that. Liam is a fantastic player with massive Premier League pedigree, but, as far as we are concerned, that’s not one we have been looking at at all.’
The Hull Daily Mail claim Cooper will rejoin Tim Walter’s side having ‘been in talks with a flurry of clubs since leaving Elland Road’.
Pompey remain in the hunt for a frontline centre-back, with the defensive resources stretched to the limit for Saturday’s trip to Middlesbrough. With Regan Poole (ACL) and Tom McIntyre (hamstring) remaining on the sidelines, the Blues also had to make do without Conor Shaughnessy for he trip to the Riverside, after he was struck down by illness in the build up to the game.
That meant summer signing from Barnsley, right-back Jordan Williams, had to partnership Ryley Towler in the centre of defence for the 2-2 draw.
Ipswich’s George Edmundson remains of interest to the Blues. He came off the bench for the Tractor Boys in their 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday. However, he’s been pushed further down the pecking order at Portman Road after the Premier League new boys sealed the £12m transfer of Burnley centre-back Dara O’Shea.