The Swansea man joined Leeds United on loan in the summer.
James Beattie has told LUTV that he has a lot of respect for Leeds United defender Kyle Bartley.
The Swansea City centre-back joined Leeds on a season-long loan from the Premier League club in the summer.
Alongside Pontus Jansson, the 25-year-old has struck up a wonderful defensive partnership with the towering Swede as the Whites sit sixth in the Championship.
Beattie, who joined Garry Monk’s coaching staff in the summer, knew the former Arsenal man when the duo were on loan together at Rangers.
And the ex-Premier League hitman has named Bartley when asked who his best friend was at the club.
He told LUTV: “I’ve probably known Barts the longest. I was on loan at Rangers when he was there. He’s a very valued member of the squad and a senior influence on the boys.
“I have a lot of respect for him, and he’s a friend.”
Leeds are in fine form, winning three of their last four league outings, but it gets extra serious for Monk and co this Sunday as top-of-the-table Newcastle – on a seven-match winning streak – visit Elland Road.
Whether it’s Dwight Gayle – the Championship’s leading goalscorer with 11 – or Aleksandar Mitrovic spearheading the Magpies’ attack, Bartley is almost guaranteed a tough match.
He and Jansson have won rave reviews this season, but Sunday’s clash is certainly the toughest of their burgeoning Leeds United careers.
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