Leeds United transfer news as the Whites take an ‘aggressive’ approach to Luke Thomas and Charlie Taylor
Leeds United have made every effort to sign a new left-back at the end of the window, taking a “positive” approach with Luke Thomas and Charlie Taylor, according to Ben Jacobs.
Speaking to Football League World (September 11), the newspaper revealed that Daniel Farke and Los Blancos wanted to add at least one left-back to their ranks before the transfer deadline, but failed to reach an agreement for Thomas or Taylor..
Burnley are unwilling to allow Taylor to leave as they have few options at full-back, while Leicester City are unwilling to allow Thomas to join their Championship rivals on loan, with the 22-year-old temporarily joined Sheffield United..
Discussing White’s approach, Jacobs said:
“A number of approaches were made, but Leicester didn’t want to go on loan to their Championship opponents so in the end he [Thomas] went to Sheffield United.
Charlie Taylor at Burnley could also have returned to Leeds, but he didn’t Burnley did the same.
“So Leeds tried, they were quite aggressive in their approach, especially with Thomas, because they knew the urgency.
But they couldn’t make this deal happen.
Another summer has passed and it once again feels like Leeds United have failed to resolve their left-back problems, while Farke is sorely lacking options on that side of their defense.
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Sam Byram appears to have solved this problem, arriving on a short-term deal and he started the season well before getting injured.
Given his previous poor fitness record, you wouldn’t be surprised if this happened once or twice more this season.
Junior Firpo appears to be on the verge of returning to fitness, but the former Barcelona man has been inconsistent throughout his time at Elland Road.
Whether he will prove to be a better defender now that Leeds have entered the Championship, only time will tell.
There is also a possibility that one of Djed Spence or Luke Ayling could move to the left of the defense as Farke looks to support his two right-backs after Spence impressed in his brief appearance after completion loan contract from Tottenham.
Leeds need one of two left-back options to arrive this summer, but it seems their hands are tied as they have to rely on other clubs coming in to allow the White Devils’ targets to leave.
If Ian Maatsen had left Chelsea for Turf Moor, Taylor might have been allowed to join Farke.