Leeds United should be targeting a centre back in January.
Leeds United’s defensive injury woes have been well-publicised this season, and having decided not to strengthen that area over the summer, Marcelo Bielsa must surely be plotting a move in January.
The Whites already have Gaetano Berardi and Luke Ayling out, two players who can play at centre back, whilst Pontus Jansson has endured problems this year and Liam Cooper is now out for the rest of 2018.
Youngster Aapo Halme is now being thrown into Championship football, or holding midfielder Kalvin Phillips is being dropped back to play at centre back, which is hardly ideal.
A loan signing until the end of the season would just tide Leeds over and give them a major boost in the promotion battle, and an ideal solution may have just become available.
The Mirror report that Everton are allowing Mason Holgate to go out on loan in January, with Championship clubs believed to be keen on the 22-year-old; Leeds must be one of them.
Holgate is a talented young English player, just like other Leeds loanees Lewis Baker and Jack Harrison, whilst he brings versatility to play at centre back and right back whilst quick and comfortable with the ball at his feet, two ideal attributes for Bielsa.
Add in that he is from Yorkshire, and bringing Holgate to Elland Road for the rest of the season could help Bielsa’s ailing back line whilst helping to develop a promising player in front of a raucous crowd every other week.
Leeds allegedly held talks with Everton over the summer about a deal for Matthew Pennington, but this deal is far more appealing, and if Holgate really is available, then the Whites must contact Everton again and get themselves a deal that Leeds fans would love; certainly moreso than bringing Pennington back.
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