Marcelo Bielsa has made Jens Cajuste his number one midfield target as Leeds United look to make further additions before the Premier League transfer window closes at the end of August, according to The Sun (27 July, page 49).
After landing a much-needed left-back in the shape of Junior Firpo while turning Jack Harrison’s long-standing loan deal into a permanent transfer, focus at Elland Road will now turn to a box-to-box enforcer capable of easing the burden on perhaps the only irreplaceable member of Bielsa’s squad.
Since the Argentine’s arrival in 2018, Kalvin Phillips has started 109 league matches.
And while Cajuste would not be a like-for-like replacement for a man who has endured his fair share of injury niggles in recent months, the Sweden international would at least be able to step in for Phillips whenever the club’s first-choice ‘number six’ is unavailable for whatever reason.
Have Leeds found some Kalvin Phillips competition in Jens Cajuste?
Cajuste is valued at around £13 million by Danish giants Midtjylland.
The Sun reports that Leeds would be ‘happy’ to pay such a fee as they look to fight off competition from top-flight rivals Wolves and Crystal Palace.
Newcastle are also interested, with Cajuste exactly the sort of player Steve Bruce has been looking to bring in since late-2019.
The Magpies boss is desperate to add some energy and intensity to an often one-paced midfield.
According to the Northern Echo, however, a £13 million fee could be too rich for Mike Ashley’s blood as Newcastle weigh up a loan deal for Leicester City’s fourth-choice defensive midfielder, Hamza Choudhury, instead.
Cajuste, who picked up ten yellow cards last season but is renowned for his dribbling skills as well as his destructive tendencies, has not played a single second of action since returning to Midtjylland following Euro 2020.
Like Middlesbrough-linked striker Sory Kaba, Cajuste has been frozen out after making clear that he wants a fresh start elsewhere.
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