According to TWTD, Leeds United are eyeing up a move for Ipswich Town centre-back Luke Woolfenden this summer, and he’d help smooth their transition into the top-flight as Marcelo Bielsa faces a big decision in his defensive department.
What’s the word?
The independent Blues site claims the Championship front-runners are one of several clubs interested in signing the defender following an impressive season at Portman Road.
Premier League duo Crystal Palace and Sheffield United, as well as Queens Park Rangers, are Leeds’ main contenders in securing the 21-year-old’s signature.
Woolfenden is currently under contract in Suffolk until the summer of 2022 with the League One outfit also having an option to extend his deal by a further season.
Ipswich have the fifth-best defensive record in the third tier and at one stage were leading a promotion charge before faltering in recent months.
Forget Berardi
The United chief will soon be left with a wrath of defensive woes this summer – Ben White will return to parent club Brighton and Hove Albion, Gaetano Berardi is out of contract, and Liam Cooper is perpetually crocked with injury.
Fans have been calling for the club to offer the Swiss veteran a new deal, but these developing reports could offer them a new-found solution that’ll only assist their transition into the Premier League – should they manage to go up.
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Woolfenden has been valued at £3m by the Daily Mail, who also sent a scout to watch him earlier this year. He claims the young centre-back has a bright future in the game with his maturity and height key attributes.
The former quality is one that could suggest he’s able to cope with the demands that such an increase in division would herald while per WhoScored, the 6 foot 4 colossus has statistically been one of Paul Lambert’s best players, averaging a rating of 7.05 from 31 matches.
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He is also recording 4.8 clearances, 2 interceptions and 1.6 tackles on average per game.
Forget Berardi, Bielsa must swoop for this emerging talent who is ten years younger than the 31-year-old.
And in other news, £45.5m in 5 years: Leeds promotion could buck transfer trend…