La Liga giants Valencia reportedly scouted the defender in action for Sweden’s Under-21s – will Los Che break Leeds United hearts again?
Leeds United may not possess a multitude of talent in reserve but Garry Monk’s side can boast one of the strongest spines in the Championship. However, while top scorer Chris Wood, cult hero centre-back Pontus Jansson and the evergreen Rob Green have earned admiration for their performances at either end, right-back Luke Ayling has been equally important this season.
Yet, according to Voetbal Belgie, the club still aims to add some much needed depth to the full-back positions with Swedish defender Linus Wahlqvist reportedly on the club’s radar.
The 20-year-old, who even admitted that he would be interested in moving to the Championship, has impressed for Norrkoping in his homeland this season and, with fellow Swedes Jansson and Marcus Antonsson (below) already arriving at Elland Road during Monk’s tenure, it would have been no surprise if Leeds were to launch a bid in the summer.
However, according to Super Deporte, they could have competition in the side that infamously knocked them out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage in 2001.
These days, finishing in the top half of La Liga rather than reaching a European final is a far more realistic ambition at the Mestalla but reports suggest that they are already considering summer additions to bolster an underachieving squad.
Super Deporte reports that Valencia scouted Wahlqvist in action for Sweden’s Under-21s during the international break and, although the Castellon giants have lurched from one crisis to another in recent seasons, this could represent a true test of Leeds’ pulling power under Monk.
Completing a deal would be the first major coup of Andrea Radrizzani’s ownership, enabling the Italian to prove that Leeds can and will fight in the transfer market.
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