Fleetwood Town reportedly looking to make another loan move for Leeds United’s Lewie Coyle

Fleetwood Town are reportedly looking to bring Leeds United’s Lewie Coyle back for another loan spell at the Lancashire club. New Fleetwood manager Joey Barton is apparently interested in keeping Coyle at Fleetwood after his loan deal at the club expired at the end of last season.

Coyle was a key member of the Fleetwood squad last season, picking up the Supporter’s Player of the Year award. Fleetwood endured a rough season after reaching the League One playoffs in the 2016-17 season. The club finished 14th in the table last season on 57 points, and look to reboot under new manager Joey Barton.

Barton is a controversial figure, with the former Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers, and Burnley midfielder having been appointed as manager of Fleetwood Town despite a gambling ban and without having any previous coaching or managing experience.

Lewie Coyle made 48 appearances in all competitions for Fleetwood last season after making 10 appearances for Leeds during the 2016-17 season and 13 appearances during the 2015-16 season. He was behind Luke Ayling and Gaetano Berardi in the pecking order last season at Elland Road, but with the change of managers and change of style, perhaps this is Coyle’s time to shine for Leeds.

New Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa famously prefers a 3-3-1-3 formation, utilizing three central defenders with two outside wing backs. Coyle would slot in at right wing back as the current right backs, Ayling and Berardi, would likely play as the right-sided central defender in a back three formation.

Of course, Coyle could also be given another year on loan, as Bielsa could look to move for a more experienced player at right wing-back or look to move one of the plethora of central midfielders at the club out to a wide role, meaning that Coyle would once again struggle for match time. Either way, Fleetwood want him back and Coyle’s position in the Leeds squad is far from set.