Re-signing Kyle Bartley would provide the platform for Leeds United’s promotion challenge

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Championship Leeds United are keen to bring Kyle Bartley back to Elland Road from Premier League Swansea City this summer.

Leeds United narrowly missed out on a place in the Championship play-offs last season but no one could blame Pontus Jansson or Kyle Bartley for that.

Arriving at Elland Road on loan from Torino and Swansea City respectively, the Swede and the Englishman quickly formed a fearsome central defensive partnership that was arguably the best in the division for long spells across 2017/18.

While Jansson signed permanently last summer, however, Bartley returned to Swansea. And Leeds haven’t been the same since.

The defence was Leeds’ strong point last season. This time around, it is their Achilles heel. With one game to go, The Whites have conceded 17 goals more than during the 2016/17 campaign.

So reports in the Yorkshire Evening Post that Leeds have now stunningly opened talks with Swansea about re-signing Bartley on a permanent deal this summer is excellent news.

It is understood that the 26-year-old, who has barely played since returning to the Liberty Stadium, is open to a return to West Yorkshire. If Leeds pull off a hugely popular signing, this would surely go a long way into turning the club back into serious play-off contenders for next season.

Bartley’s return could even help Jansson, who has been a shadow of his former self this season, return to his 2016 heyday.

Signing Bartley would not solve all Leeds’ problems. They still need a left-back, a centre-forward and, some would argue, a manager.

But he would give Leeds the platform to build another side capable of gatecrashing the top six.