Do Leeds United need to sign a central defender in the summer transfer window?
Jansson, Matthew Pennington – signed on a season-long loan deal from Everton in the summer transfer window – and Liam Cooper are the three recognised centre-backs in the Leeds squad at the moment.
The 26-year-old Sweden international and 25-year-old Cooper are more experienced than Pennington, who is only 22 years of age and can also operate as a right-back.
Jansson, though, has pointed out that Leeds have two more centre-backs – 21-year-old Conor Shaughnessy and 25-year-old Luke Ayling, who can play as a centre-back, right-back or as a defensive midfielder.
“I don’t think we are going to need one more,” Jansson told The Yorkshire Evening Post regarding signing a new centre-back in the summer transfer window.
“Matthew has shown how good he is as he started the season really well. And Conor was really good in the last game.
“I don’t want to say Conor is number four (fourth choice) but if you have a number four he has to be young, he has to be talented and a man for the future. You don’t have to get a player on loan only for one season to be number four.
“It is better to have a young player from around the Academy and if there is any trouble then we can also have Luke in the centre. I don’t think it’s going to be a problem and I don’t think we need another defender.”
Jansson does have a valid point. Injuries to Cooper and Pennington so early in the season have been unfortunate, but the campaign is long and if Leeds signed another centre-back, then they could have too many players for the same position.
There is no point in Leeds signing a central defender to be a back-up or cover for what they already have.
If the Whites do bring in a centre-back, then he should be good enough to play with Jansson week in, week out.
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