In need of defensive reinforcements this summer, Leeds United will compete with three Championship clubs to recruit a center-back from the Premier League.
The Whites, who lost to Southampton 1-0 in the championship game at Wembley on Sunday, will now have to play another difficult season of football in the second division. This was the team’s third straight loss versus the Saints in the current campaign.
The outcome may have a negative impact on the club’s capacity to spend big during the summer transfer window. Daniel Farke’s team will have to start selling before they can buy, according to football financial expert Kieran Maguire, who revealed that Leeds had £190 million in outstanding credit from player purchases, of which £73 million must be paid by the end of June.
Furthermore, a number of players most likely won’t be at Elland Road for the upcoming season if they don’t get promoted. Joe Rodon, a central defender, had an amazing season in West Yorkshire while on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. However, the latter are requesting a fee of £10–15 million for his permanent signing, therefore Sunday’s match against Southampton might have been his last for the team.
Leeds United will therefore need to be more astute in the transfer market and sign players who have a lot of potential for affordable prices. Journalist Ben Jacobs claims that the board has set their sights on Alfie Gilchrist, a defender for Chelsea who could be a good substitute for Rodon.
According to Jacobs, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers, two Lancashire rivals, would compete with the Whites for the signature of the Premier League center-back. Millwall has already been connected to the 20-year-old, whose Transfermarkt worth is estimated to be £4.2 million. However, any transfer will only take the shape of a loan agreement.
Author’s Perspective
This season, Gilchrist progressed through Chelsea’s youth and made 17 appearances for the Blues across all competitions, including 11 in the Premier League. But now that Mauricio Pochettino, the man who gave him his Stamford Bridge debut, has departed the team, the teenage centre defender might be considering his alternatives.
For Gilchrist, perhaps a loan arrangement would be the best choice. With Thiago Silva leaving, he still has a future in West London, but he will require more regular playing time to make sure his growth doesn’t stall. He might be eligible to receive this from Millwall, Blackburn, Preston, and Leeds United.
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