Championship table-toppers Leeds United will let left-back De Bock leave Elland Road and League One Sunderland really need him.
Laurens de Bock’s endured a torrid spell at Leeds United but that doesn’t mean he will have to leave the country to rebuild his reputation.
Seven games was all it took for the former Club Brugge defender, a £1.5 million signing in the winter of 2018, to be labelled a flop at Elland Road. Then again, those who watched De Bock flail in defeats to Millwall and Cardiff City, during which Leeds conceded four times apiece, could understand why the 26-year-old had been written off so quickly.
But after returning to West Yorkshire following a hit-and-miss loan spell at KV Oostende last season, the Yorkshire Evening Post believes that De Bock could be offered a fresh start by another, as yet unnamed English club.
The question is, who is this mystery suitor? Well, Sunderland certainly need a left-back right now and De Bock would fit the bill for a number of reasons.
The Black Cats have failed with a bid for Sheffield Wednesday’s Morgan Fox, according to the Northern Echo, while The Chronicle claims that Jack Ross’ side also missed out on Greg Cunningham, Dominic Thompson, Callum Elder and Tom Pearce.
De Bock was a Jupiler League winner as recently as 2016 and it is far too soon to write off a player who held his own in the Champions League before making that ill-fated move to Leeds. He’d certainly provide the experience and depth at left-back that Sunderland are crying out for.
Ross’ side appear to be getting better by the week, picking up 11 points from a possible 15 so far, but there is a clear weak link in the Black Cats’ starting XI. Youngster Denver Hume has been brutally exposed in the opening weeks of the new season while Conor McLaughlin is far more comfortable on the right than he is on the left.
De Bock might have failed at Leeds but there’s no reason to believe things wouldn’t be different at Sunderland.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
