Leeds could address serious problem by making Steven Caulker move

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Pontus Jansson has become the latest Leeds United defender to suffer an injury ahead of the festive period.

One of the last things that Marcelo Bielsa needed following Leeds’ defeat to West Brom at the weekend was the news that Pontus Jansson has withdrawn from international duty due to an injury sustained in the game at The Hawthorns.

Leeds Live reports that it is not clear how long the centre-back will be missing for, but it could prove to be terrible news given that Gaetano Berardi and Luke Ayling are already parked on the sidelines for a while yet.

Liam Cooper is currently the only fit centre-back in the senior squad. There are options in the under-23s – Leif Davis was called up onto the bench on Saturday – but the situation is troubling.

And with January some way off, Bielsa does not have many options. But perhaps one he must consider is making a fresh move for Steven Caulker, who remains a free agent after leaving Dundee during the summer.

The Daily Mirror (08/08; 08:48) reported during the previous window that Leeds were weighing up a potential £1.5 million bid for the 26-year-old.

It is not an ideal situation to make a move. If he was a player that Bielsa was desperate to add in the summer, the fee involved in a potential deal was clearly not going to be out of Leeds’ budget.

But the situation is now becoming extremely concerning. Even if Jansson is ready for the first game after the international break, offering Caulker a deal until the summer could be sensible as he has started to rebuild his career after such a difficult time.

And with Caulker available on a free transfer, Leeds should certainly have a look at whether they can get the former Premier League ace involved in training with the side with a view to potentially bringing him in while Cooper seemingly remains the last centre-back standing.