Luke Ayling has picked the four players he wants to see at Leeds in the latest instalment of ‘You’re the gaffer’.
Ayling, 26, was the latest players to be grilled with a number of pre-set questions in Leeds’ “You’re The Gaffer” series on their website, and was asked which four players he would sign if he was manager of the Elland Road club.
Now back at parent club Swansea City, Bartley is nearing a return from a long-term knee injury that he suffered during the Swans’ Carabao Cup win over MK Dons in August but Ayling wants Leeds to re-sign him as he is “perfect in every sense.”
The right-back played alongside Bartley for Arsenal’s youth academy and even shared a house with the commanding defender during his time at Leeds. Ayling chose Bartley, along with Lionel Messi, Manuel Neuer and Luka Modric.
“Manuel Neuer, Kyle Bartley (he’s perfect in every sense), Luka Modric, Lionel Messi,” Ayling said, when asked “You can sign any goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and striker in the world, who are they?”
Kyle Bartley was a mainstay of Leeds’ side during the 2016-17 campaign under Garry Monk, making 50 appearances in all competitions and helping the Yorkshire giants keep 16 clean sheets as well as scoring six goals of his own.
The Whites currently have Liam Cooper as captain at centre-back, alongside Sweden international Pontus Jansson, Everton loanee Matthew Pennington and youngster Conor Shaughnessy.
Swansea manager Paul Clement told the Welsh outfit’s official website last week that Bartley was nearing a recovery, and that could make him available for a January transfer.
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