Kyle Lafferty

Lafferty: I was ‘close’ to joining Leeds

Northern Ireland international Kyle Lafferty, currently on loan with Birmingham City, has told the Birmingham Mail that he was ‘close’ to joining Leeds United in a similar deal.

The 28-year-old admitted that he thought a move to Elland Road to almost a fortmality, however the striker revealed that ‘the two teams couldn’t come to terms’.

Lafferty had been desperate to leave Norwich City after failing to earn a regular run of games since joining the club. With Northern Ireland achieving a place in this summer’s European Championships, he wanted a run of matches to boost his fitness going into the tournament.

The ex-Burnley man has played on 13 minutes of Premier League football this season with the Canaries. He has already achieved 11 times that amount in just two matches on loan with Gary Rowett’s Blues.

The target man was at the centre of quite a lengthy transfer saga involving Leeds United. Head coach Steve Evans was constantly asked about the prospect of Lafferty moving to Elland Road and regularly responded by saying he hoped to sign the player and that talks were on-going. He has now revealed the reason for that transfer not going through,

“There was a time I thought I was going to be a Leeds player – it was that close.

“Unfortunately the two teams couldn’t come to terms.

“Once they couldn’t come to terms and it dragged on I kind of gave up on that. I basically gave up hope of moving anywhere. Things weren’t working out.”

Despite that move not working out, the 48-cap international moved to St Andrews and is glad to be back playing club football once again,

“When I knew that Birmingham and Norwich had agreed terms I couldn’t wait to come here.

“With how big a club they are and how passionate the fans are and with the manager I think I am in the right place.”

Lafferty took just 16 minutes to open his account for the Blues when scoring in the home defeat to Brighton. He’ll be hoping to add to that tally on Tuesday night, when Birmingham play against………..Leeds.

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