Amid Venancio links, should Leeds also monitor Filip Helander again?

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Leeds United are reportedly plotting a fresh move for Frederico Venancio, but he is not the only old defensive target that they should look at this summer.

According to a report from A Bola, Leeds are considering a fresh move for Frederico Venancio this summer having attempted to sign the centre-back before he joined the Whites’ Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday on loan this past season.

Adding reinforcements at the back is going to be a crucial task for the club after a year which saw the defence look incredibly vulnerable and ultimately end with three of Leeds’ under-23s featuring regularly in Paul Heckingbottom’s back five.

The Yorkshire Evening Post reported in April that the Whites were eyeing a deal to bring Kyle Bartley back to Elland Road, and A Bola’s suggestion that Venancio is also on Victor Orta’s radar this summer should certainly encourage the Leeds fans as he did enjoy a decent year with the Owls.

But perhaps Venancio and Bartley should not be the only centre-backs that Leeds target for a second time this summer amid reports coming from Italy which suggest that another former target could be available during the coming months.

Corriere Dello Sport recently reported that Filip Helander may be available this summer as he approaches the final year of his deal with Bologna. Goal reported in 2017 that Helander was a Leeds target as they looked to replace Bartley at the end of his loan spell.

Helander made 29 Serie A appearances this past season and is now on his way to the World Cup with Sweden where one of his rivals for a place in the side will be Leeds stalwart Pontus Jansson. He would be a superb signing if the Whites were able to bring him in this summer – though it seems incredibly unlikely that Bologna would let him go on the cheap.

If Leeds appoint manage to appoint Marcelo Bielsa this summer, their need to get new centre-backs in will likely increase further with Bielsa a big fan of playing three at the back.

Landing Bartley or Venancio or even both would see their defensive options improve significantly, but the Leeds hierarchy should seriously consider whether they should also find out more about Helander’s availability as he could also prove to be a superb signing if the Whites were in a position to get something done.