Does Leeds United’s interest in Aapo Halme suggest something about one of their current loanees?
According to Finnish publication Helsingin Sanomat, Leeds United are still interested in signing HJK Helsinki starlet Aapo Halme.
HITC Sport reported back in May that the 19-year-old centre-back was a target for the Elland Road club in a rumour which Sanomat are also running with.
The mountainous defender – who stands at 6’8 in height – is a Finland Under-21 international and it seems like Leeds are keen to bolster their already-impressive stable of central defensive options.
But does such interest indicate that Director of Football Victor Orta does not expect Matthew Pennington to stay in Yorkshire beyond next summer?
By virtue of injury, the 22-year-old has endured a stop-start time at Leeds following a season-long loan from Everton in the summer, but he has looked a super player when he has played.
But would the Whites be in the market for another centre-back if they fancied their chances of bringing Pennington to Elland Road on a permanent basis? They already have Liam Cooper, Pontus Jansson and Conor Shaughnessy, all of whom are under long-term contracts.
It does not seem plausible or logical that United would be going for Halme if they realistically felt that Pennington would join permanently. Some might argue that you can never have enough solid centre-backs, but five might be overkill.
Of course, it is just paper talk for now, though the fact that two different sources – including one from his homeland – have ran the story might suggest there’s something in it.
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