Premier League outfit Leeds United were open to negotiating a permanent deal for Jamie Shackleton this summer before seeing him join Millwall on a season-long loan, according to an update from Leeds Live. The 22-year-old was limited to 14 league appearances during the 2021/22 campaign, spending much of his time on the bench as a backup right-back option to Luke Ayling with Shackleton failing to assert himself as a regular starter.
This is a problem he has had at Elland Road for a long time now – and finally secured a move away from West Yorkshire earlier this week as he linked up with the Lions in the English capital.
Fellow second-tier side Reading were also interested in taking him away from Yorkshire – but with their superior financial spending power – Gary Rowett’s side were able to come out on top in this race.
One thing the Royals certainly wouldn’t have been able to do is negotiate a permanent agreement for his services unless the Whites were willing to let him leave for free, with the Berkshire outfit unable to spend transfer fees as part of the business plan they are operating within this summer and for the remainder of the 2022/23 season.