Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens admits he would love to sign Leeds United loanee Sonny Perkins on a permanent contract - but knows it's highly unlikely to happen. The forward has scored four times in 24 appearances for the Os since signing on a temporary deal last summer.

Wellens' side currently sit mid-table in League One as they look to launch a push for the play-offs, and Wellens is hoping Perkins, along with Spurs loanees Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley, can continue to make a big imact. However, he is fully aware of the role the deals are playing in the developement and expects them to return to their parent clubs once their spell in east London comes to an end.

Orient are unbeaten in their last seven in all competitions, with Perkins contributing three assists, but Wellens was realistic on future transfer ambitions.

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"I would like to swap my contract with Jamie Donley, so I doubt it”, Wellens said following their Boxing Day win over Crawley Town. “I would like to swap contracts with Sonny Perkins so I doubt it.

“But no, in those two cases there, the parent clubs, Leeds and Tottenham, have trusted us with the first stages of their development in terms of professional games. So, we treat that as a responsibility, we develop them, we 100 per cent want to keep them for the rest of the season.

“And let’s see where next season goes but I think Tottenham see Donley’s future in their first team eventually.”

Perkins has only made one first-team appearance under Daniel Farke at Leeds, and that was a late substitute against Cardiff City in his first game in charge back in August 2023. He spent last season at Oxford United, but the 20-year-old failed to break into the first-team squad and he was recalled last January.