Should Leeds United go back for Tommy Elphick if Aston Villa win Premier League promotion?
Aston Villa could make Tommy Elphick available for transfer this summer and Leeds United should renew an interest in the centre-back.
According to The Birmingham Mail, the 30-year-old, who joined the Villans in 2016 for £3 million, could be allowed to leave if Steve Bruce’s side win promotion to the Premier League come next month.
Aston Villa are fourth in the Championship and four points behind second-placed Cardiff, but winning the playoffs looks like their best bet of returning to the top flight and Leeds should absolutely go back for the former Bournemouth defender if that materialises.
In January, The Sun (print edition, page 55, January 23, 2018) reported that Leeds were interested in signing Elphick, who wound up joining Reading on loan but has featured only twice after suffering a knee injury.
The Birmingham Mail have reported that it “remains to be seen” whether he will join the Royals on a permanent basis and the West Yorkshire outfit should keep an eye on the situation.
United’s centre-back problems have been well documented and the lack of a reliable partner for Pontus Jansson is arguably a factor in Leeds’ capitulation in 2018, having gone from promotion candidates to mid-table obscurity in a matter of months.
Signing at least one central defender is a given for the Elland Road club and, if Aston Villa go up, Elphick – who helped the Cherries into the Premier League in 2015 – could and should represent an option, fitness permitting.
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