Sheffield Wednesday snapped up Tom Lees on a free in 2014 but Leeds United should never have let him go.
While Leeds United may currently stand proud as one of English football’s most prosperous academies, times were different just five years ago.
In fact, talented centre-back Tom Lees was one of the few players of genuine Championship quality to emerge from Thorpe Park in many a year when making his breakthrough in the senior side in 2011.
Therefore, after playing more than 40 league games in three successive seasons at Elland Road, it was something of a surprise when Leeds allowed him to leave for Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday on a free in 2014.
At least, that was the opinion of most Leeds supporters. And three years on, hindsight only exacerbates the feeling that they dropped the ball letting the 23-year-old leave for nothing.
For Lees has since developed into one of the most consistent defenders in the Championship. That Wednesday have a chance of reaching the play-offs for the second season in succession owes much to his sturdy, rugged performances at centre-half.
However, if Carlos Carvalhal’s side fall at the final hurdle again, perhaps Leeds should make an ambitious attempt to bring the Birmingham-born defender back to Elland Road, especially if Garry Monk’s side are a Premier League team by the end of the season.
With arguably the Championship’s finest defensive partnership, Kyle Bartley and Pontus Jansson, under threat by Premier League interest, Leeds may be reluctantly forced into the market for defensive reinforcements this summer.
The Sun claims that Southampton are willing to pay £10 million for Jansson (below) while adding that Bartley, who is only on loan from Swansea City, is a target for Burnley.
And with only the unconvincing Liam Cooper behind them in the pecking order, Leeds may wish they had not sanctioned Lees’ exit all those years ago.
After letting him go for nothing, they would have to pay big to bring him back.
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