Leeds United handed 'fresh boost' over key star as Sheffield United 'eye' ex-Cardiff City man

The new Championship season is now just a matter of weeks away, and clubs are now getting serious with their summer preparations, with many of them currently away on summer tours.

In the meantime, club chiefs will be working hard to get new deals over the line and to make sure squads are ready for the big kick-off in around three weeks’ time. Here we round up all the latest news and transfer rumours from around the second tier.

Summerville ‘boost’ for Leeds

Leeds United have been handed a possible boost in their bid to keep hold of star man Cyrsencio Summerville this summer. According to Team Talk, AS Roma have pulled out fo the race to sign the winger despite recent reports claiming they were pushing hard to land a deal.

West Ham United were said to have submitted a bid for Summerville, but there has been no further update, suggesting that bid has not been accepted, or at least not yet.

Bowler ‘eyed’

Sheffield United are said to be pushing for a deal to sign Nottingham Forest winger Josh Bowler. Bowler spent last season on loan with Cardiff City and impressed at times, though he was part of an inconsistent Bluebirds attack.

Journalist Graeme Bailey told Nottingham Forest News that the Blades are now pushing for a loan deal, with Bowler not likely to return to Cardiff, who signed Chris Willock on a free deal from QPR. The 25-year-old still doesn’t look as though he will compete for a spot in the Forest starting XI.

Cardiff boss Erol Bulut said of Bowler earlier this year: “Josh has to believe in himself. We have spoken to him many times, my assistants, too. He has quality one against one, he has to use it. Like today, when he has to shoot, he has to shoot, when he has to pass, he has to pass.

"I speak with him a lot about everyone knowing that he is left-footed. Sometimes he has to go on his right. We train it every time, that he has to dribble on the outside, on his right foot, to maybe make the assist or score a goal."

Harris on Forest defeat

Millwall boss Neil Harris has been speaking about his side’s narrow pre-season defeat to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday. He told MillwallTV: “A great workout. They were sharper than us for the majority of the game.

“They looked like they had acclimatized to the weather having been here a week longer than us – it really helped It caught a few of the lads out with the speed of the game and the heat that they played in tonight. In the four games [so far] where we have been better than the opponents, I praised the way the opponent approached the game against us, I praise my players for that.

“The application and the attitude was there from the group, which is the main thing. It looks like we have come through unscathed, which is the absolute priority of the evening. Extended minutes into players and some good individual performances. A reminder for the players, when you play against Premier League opponents, if you switch off for a moment or are slightly sloppy for a moment, you get punished heavily.”