Leeds have signed Leicester City right-back Lee Peltier on a 3 year deal for a fee reported to be around £500,000. Peltier had been linked with Leeds earlier in the season, but his transfer fee left Warnock with problems completing the move with Leeds quite cash-strapped until the neverending takeover is complete. Leeds have beaten off Simon Grayson’s Huddersfield who were determined to sign Peltier, apparently as a defensive midfielder, before being priced out.

The 25-year-old was an ever-present in Leicester City’s side last season, making 44 appearances following his £750,000 summer transfer from Huddersfield Town. However new Leicester manager Nigel Pearson has opted to mould his expensive squad to his image and that means – according to rumours earlier this summer – replacing Peltier with Hull City’s Liam Rosenior, who Pearson worked with at Hull City in 2010-11.

Leeds were set to profit from Leicester’s position, with a cut-price deal in the region of £300,000 being on the cards at one point, but with Huddersfield’s interest and no money to complete the deal with, Leeds had to wait. Matt Mills has since been sold at a knock-down rate and Leicester decided they wanted to recoup more of what they paid for Peltier.

Peltier rounds off a fresh defence that many fans seem to think looks our strongest for years. Paddy Kenny and Jamie Ashdown bring a wealth of experience between the sticks while 25 year old Peltier joins 24 year old Jason Pearce, 21 year old Tom Lees and 33 year old Adam Drury, with 25 year old ex-England under 21 Martin Cranie hoping for a contract, to make up a surprisingly young defence considering Neil Warnock’s supposed transfer policy that some complained would result in decrepit journeymen being signed. Peltier joining Drury at full-back will also provide some decent pace and ability to support attacks, with White and Connolly in reserve, which also goes against what certain commentators have claimed Warnock is building at Leeds.

Transfers (IN) so far

Name Pos Age From Est Cost
Jason Pearce CB 24 Portsmouth £500,000
Adam Drury LB 33 Norwich City £0
Paul Green CM 29 Derby County £0
Paddy Kenny GK 34 QPR £450,000
Andy Gray FW 34 Barnsley £0
Jamie Ashdown GK 31 Portsmouth £0
Rodolph Austin CM 27 SK Brann £300,000
Luke Varney FW 29 Portsmouth £300,000
David Norris CM 31 Portsmouth £0
Lee Peltier RB 25 Leicester City £500,000
£2,050,000