Could Aston Villa centre-back Tommy Elphick interest Leeds United this week?
Tommy Elphick looks to be on borrowed time at Aston Villa and Leeds United should seriously consider trying to sign him before Friday’s deadline.
According to The Mail, Aston Villa are willing to offload the 30-year-old centre-back – who helped Bournemouth to Premier League promotion in 2015 – and Leeds could do a lot worse, after being reminded on Tuesday that they need central defenders.
The Whites suffered their first blip in a near-perfect season so far by losing 2-0 to 10-man Preston at Elland Road in the second round of the League Cup.
Conor Shaughnessy started in central defence for United but a shaky display means that Leeds really must bolster their options in that area – and the Aston Villa man could be very useful.
It’s worth noting that it was the 22-year-old’s first appearance since January due to injury, but Shaughnessy is a player who was on the fringes of regular first-team football anyway, so refusing to sign a new centre-back on the basis that he’s fit again might be risky.
In fact, the West Yorkshire side reportedly wanted Elphick in January [The Sun, 23/01, p55] which, if true, indicates that United’s Director of Football Victor Orta believes him to be fit for Leeds.
The 30-year-old, who earns £25,000 per week at Villa Park [Silly Season], is of little use to Steve Bruce if he signs an alternative defender this week, but that isn’t to say that he couldn’t do a job in West Yorkshire.
Going by The Mail, QPR are also interested, but surely the prospect of joining top-of-the-table Leeds is a more attractive proposition. Question is, would Aston Villa loan him to a promotion rival? All Orta can do is ask.
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