A NUMBER of Championship and League One clubs are tracking in-form Walsall defender Zak Jules.
The 23-year-old looks a huge prospect after shining in League Two, and it could be that he’s set to move up the divisions with Cardiff City, Huddersfield and Birmingham City among the clubs keen to sign the centre back.
Jules, who was signed from Macclesfield Town, is also wanted by Blackburn Rovers, Portsmouth, Peterborough and MK Dons.
The versatile, ball-playing defender is a centre-back by trade, but can also fill in at left-back, as he has done in more recent games for the Saddlers.
EXETER City have rejected a Charlton Athletic bid for Joel Randall which could pave the way for Celtic to jump in.
The Addicks manager Lee Bowyer revealed his side had failed with two bids - the latest believed to be around £500,000 - for the winger, 21.
The League Two club are hopeful of securing a higher fee for the breakout star.
Exeter are said to want nearer the £1m mark for a player who has only made 16 League Two appearances - a valutation Bowyer believes is too high.
WALSALL'S Elijah Adebayo has apparently agreed terms to join Hearts.
The Tynecastle side have come to a verbal agreement with the 23-year-old to join the club on a pre-contract deal.
However, Hearts to bring him in this month to avoid paying a £100k-plus development fee.
But they will need to work out a deal with Walsall who are reluctant to sell the forward and rejected an initial offer from Hearts. The English club have offered Adebayo a contract extension.
Walsall Darrell Clarke criticised the Jambos for how they handled the situation, but Robbie Neilson insists Hearts adhered to the rules.
PORT Vale boss Danny Pugh hasn’t ruled out another signing before the end of January and it seems a centre half will be among the targets.
John Askey was considering bringing in a central defender before he lost his job at the start of the month.
Vale need some competition for Shaun Brisley and Nathan Smith so a centre half could be on the way in.
FORMER Bradford loanee Glenn Middleton has joined St Johnstone on loan from Scottish Premiership rivals Rangers for the remainder of the season.
The 21-year-old moved to Ibrox in 2018 but has made just one appearance as a substitute this season.
He scored five goals in 27 appearances during his first year at Ibrox.
Middleton, capped 15 times for Scotland at under-21 level, also had loan spells with Hibernian.
PRESTON North End winger Ethan Walker has returned to Carlisle United on loan for the second time this season.
Walker, 18, initially joined the Cumbrians on loan at the start of the season but dislocated his right shoulder a month into his stay.
He had an operation on his shoulder and did his rehab with the PNE medical staff at Euxton.
Earlier in January, North End officially recalled him from the loan to allow him to be in the squad for the FA Cup tie at Wycombe Wanderers but he remained on the bench.
Walker was on the bench that day but didn't come on.
North End decided to allow Walker to resume his loan at Carlisle and get a run of first-team games under his belt.
LEYTON Orient want to offer Conor Wilkinson a new deal to deter a clutch of League One clubs coming in for the striker.
The 26-year-old has been excellent in the first half of the 2020/21 campaign, scoring 10 times in all competitions and helping Ross Embleton’s side push for a place in the top seven.
Wilkinson signed a two-year deal when he joined Orient from National League side Dagenham & Redbridge in July 2019, meaning his current contract is set to expire in the summer.
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