Leeds set for defensive swoop

Leeds United are assured to be looking at defensive options when the January transfer opens in a few weeks time.

The club may be on the up but defensive frailties and lack of real quality caused the side to fall to 7 defeats in 9 games and Thomas Christiansen will be wanting to plug any gaps if he is to reach his preseason goal of the top six.

One player Leeds could now be set to sign is Tobias Figueiredo. The portuguese centre back was touted as a potential signing for Leeds and now a deal looks set to go ahead.

According to HITC, Leeds sounded out an offer for Figueiredo and were advised that his current club Sporting Lisbon would allow such a deal to go ahead.

It’s now been claimed that Leeds are willing to meet the £2.5million asking price and the centre back could be a White as of January 1st.

Figueiredo has been a stop/start Player during his time at Sporting having only featured in a meagre 15 appearances for the club. This is part and parcel due to the fact he does not feature in manager Jorge Jesus’ plans.

Standing at an impressive 6’2 and being both strong in the air and on the deck, Figueiredo is touted as a very good centre back who just needs to reinvigorate his career and where better than Leeds?

The Whites do have defensive reinforcements in Matthew Pennington and Conor Shaughnessy but if they are to continue in the playoff hunt, a backup who can challenge for a starting spot is needed.

Whether Leeds take the deal or look elsewhere is still to be determined but the model of signing young talented foreign players has so far been a move in the right direction for Leeds and long may it continue.

By Ryan Ingham