We cast an eye over five Football League players to have attracted interest ahead of deadline day.
Sky Sports casts an eye over quintet of talents outside the elite
With the clock ticking down on the transfer window, clubs up and down the land are preparing for the traditional late rush of activity before the deadline.
Premier League clubs appear to be tightening their belts this year, with the sums invested so far significantly reduced, and many teams opting for short-term deals on proven talent such as Robbie Keane, Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes.
Clubs looking for a bargain could also be tempted to take a glance outside the top-flight, with a wealth of talent on show among the 72 clubs who reside outside the elite.
Here,
skysports.com looks at five players from the Football League to have attracted interest from higher up the ladder and who could find themselves running out in new colours by Saturday.
Wilfried Zaha - Crystal Palace
Zaha is perhaps the most likely of our selected quintet to be on the move in the next few hours, with Bolton boss Owen Coyle confirming that a bid had been lodged with the Eagles in an attempt to secure the services of the 19-year-old, although that was immediately rejected. The Selhurst Park side are blessed with a number of gifted young players in their ranks, with talented winger Zaha arguably the pick of the bunch, given his raw pace and natural talent on the ball. A starring role in Palace's run to the Carling Cup semi-final, which included a shock victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, thrust Zaha into the spotlight, with the Red Devils and Liverpool both linked with his services. Given Bolton's position on the fringes of the drop zone, a move to the Reebok Stadium could be regarded as a gamble for the teenager.
Matt Phillips - Blackpool
Earlier this season Phillips was sent out on loan to Sheffield United for a brief spell and now he is being mentioned as a possible target for teams in the Premier League. The 20-year-old winger scored six goals in his seven-game spell with the Bramall Lane outfit and has continued that fine form following his return to Bloomfield Road, finding the target another seven times for Ian Holloway's men. After bringing in Phillips for just £325,000 from Wycombe in the summer of 2010, Blackpool would be sure to make a healthy profit should they elect to sell, but Holloway has stressed he only wants to see his prize asset move on to a leading Premier League side.
Nathan Redmond - Birmingham
Another Championship wing wizard to have attracted attention from Premier League teams this season, Redmond has made the breakthrough into the Blues first team under Chris Hughton this term. The talented teenager first came to the attention of the St Andrew's outfit at the tender age of eight, with his development carefully nurtured by the Midlands club's coaching staff. The
Sky Sports Scout recently cast his expert eye over Redmond, and was impressed with what he saw of the youngster. The 17-year-old opened his account for Blues in the New Year's Day victory over Blackpool and has gone on to net further goals in the recent romps against Millwall and Sheffield United. Inevitable comparisons have been drawn with Theo Walcott and Shaun Wright-Phillips with Redmond tipped for a future at the top.
Jordan Rhodes - Huddersfield
Huddersfield's stance on their star striker has not wavered from even before the transfer window opened on New Year's Day. The message from manager Lee Clark and everyone associated with the club was simple: Not for sale. Unfortunately for Terriers fans, that has not prevented on-going speculation over the new Scotland international, with West Ham seeing a number of bids for the prolific forward knocked back. It's easy to see why Rhodes is regarded as such a hot property, with an astonishing return of 29 goals in 27 appearances this term, which includes a five-goal blast against Wycombe and all four in the recent draw at Sheffield Wednesday. Rhodes turns 22 in February and is sure to eventually be plying his trade at a higher level. If Huddersfield can secure elevation at the end of this season then they will improve their chances of keeping the former Ipswich trainee.
Matt Tubbs - Crawley
Crawley's recent rise from non-league obscurity shows no signs of slowing down, with the weekend FA Cup success away to Championship side Hull City the latest example that they are an emerging force to be reckoned with in the Football League. Striker Tubbs has played a key role in their success, with his prolific form in front of goal putting Steve Evans' side on course for back-to-back promotions. The only downside for Evans is that the performances of his men have seen admiring glances come from teams looking to improve their own squads. Bournemouth have seen one offer knocked back for 27-year-old former Salisbury striker Tubbs and may not be the only club to make an enquiry. Crawley may have been dubbed the Manchester City of the lower leagues given the financial backing at their disposal, but could find it hard to turn down more inviting offers.
