Leeds must re-sign Alex Cairns as goalkeeping troubles continue

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Leeds sold Alex Cairns to Chesterfield in August 2015 and he has since joined Fleetwood Town.

Optimism was pulsating around Elland Road ahead of Leeds’ first Championship outing after completing 16 summer signings under new boss Thomas Christiansen.

However, after a good start, four league defeats in five Championship encounters has seen cracks begin to show in the Leeds armour, with German goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald suffering more than most by being axed to the substitutes’ bench.

It has seen veteran stopper Andy Lonergan replace him between the sticks, despite the former Wolves ace only signed to act as a back-up goalkeeper to ex-Werder Bremen stopper Wiedwald.

Christiansen may be tempted to enter the January transfer window for a new goalkeeper to push Leeds closer to a Premier League return, and his attention must turn towards a former Whites academy product.

Fleetwood Town ace Alex Cairns has caught the eye of many in recent times with a string of excellent performances for Uwe Rosler’s side, as he continues to prove to the Yorkshire giants that they were wrong to sell him.

The Whites offloaded Cairns back in August 2015 to Chesterfield, before he moved on to Rotherham and now Fleetwood. Making 54 appearances for Fleetwood, Cairns has kept a huge 24 clean sheets.

His performances almost pushed Fleetwood to Championship promotion last season, attracting reported interest from Premier League side West Ham – according to the Daily Mail.

However, now Cairns could be on the lookout for a new club despite being one of Fleetwood’s star players, as his current contract ends in June 2018.

Rosler’s side will be desperate not to lose their goalkeeper on a free transfer, and that may mean they will make him available in the January transfer window for a cut-price fee.

Leeds brought in 11 players who had been without Football League experience prior to the 2017-18 season this summer, and Christiansen must look towards home if he is to push his side towards promotion.

Potentially available at a cheap price, plenty of English experience and the love of Leeds fans could make Cairns the perfect January recruit in two months’ time.