Survival is the main remit for the coming months at Leeds United, but the club ought to have one eye on expiring contracts.
The Whites have 12 games remaining in the Premier League season, and a valiant draw away to Chelsea enhances our prospects of avoiding relegation.
For Daniel Farke, there’ll be very little focus right now on the long-term, because there’s so much to get through before the summer.
That being said, the 49ers and our recruitment will already have plans in place for potential options, in the event of safety. Expiring contracts at other clubs ought to be something to consider.
In particular, Leeds’ shift to a back five lends itself to the club placing a focus on adding quality and depth in defence.
Here, I look at three defenders with currently expiring contracts that should be on Leeds’ radar for the summer…
Danilho Doekhi – Union Berlin
Heavily linked during January, I never particularly expected that Leeds would actually make a move to sign Union Berlin’s Danilho Doekhi.
He’d have been a very good signing, adding more aerial presence to the side as well as experience playing in a back three in the Bundesliga.
Whether Union let him leave for free or not remains to be seen, but players with contracts dwindling at this stage of the season are making their presence in the transfer market known. If Doekhi wanted to stay, he’d have agreed a deal by now, and the same goes for my other suggestions.
Turning 28 in June, Doekhi is another player that would be available during his peak years. Adding that sort of quality for the here-and-now could be vital for Leeds going forward.
Dennis Cirkin – Sunderland
Looking to the left side of the defence, Leeds might need some more ‘natural’ cover for Gabriel Gudmundsson at left-back.
I love James Justin and think he’s been a revelation for a maximum of £10million. But, he is right-footed and having someone to carry the ball like Gudmundsson would be ideal.
Sunderland’s Dennis Cirkin might be worth considering, given he’s tumbled down the pecking order post-promotion at the Stadium of Light. He’s had limited opportunities this season, but impressed when Leeds drew 1-1 with the Black Cats in December.
Not long after, he put in a strong shift against Manchester City too to gain a clean sheet.
Right now, he’s looking more and more likely to leave the Wearside club. Therefore, he’d be a smart pickup for free in the summer.
Diogo Leite – Union Berlin
First name was a Union Berlin centre-back, second option is a left-footer, and the third is both.
Keeping with the Bundesliga club, Leeds should fancy adding more left-sided depth to the back five. As a result, they’d be covering the injury-prone Pascal Struijk smartly with Diogo Leite.
Leite, also 27, has interest from Lazio in the Serie A. Knowing that Leeds will be planning for another hefty rebuild, should we stay up, a free agent left-footed centre-back represents big value.
Farke has consistently stressed the importance of Struijk in this system. Not only for his defensive presence, but also his passing has been vital. Relieving some of that burden would be huge for our consistency.
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