Leeds United are eyeing up a loan move for a Chelsea player as they look to strengthen their squad this summer.
The Whites are putting the plans in place behind-the-scenes for another season of Championship football after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Southampton in the play-off final.
Just like last season when they were relegated, Leeds will be heading into the off-season with a feeling of major disappointment, but will be hoping this summer is much different.
It took Leeds until the third week of July to make their first signing last year, as 49ers Enterprises worked to complete a full takeover and the appointment of Daniel Farke.
Incidentally, it was actually from Chelsea where Leeds made their first signing of the 49ers era, with Ethan Ampadu joining in a £7 million deal, a signing which has proved inspired.
Leeds among Championship clubs keen on Chelsea’s Alfie Gilchrist
In the days that have followed Sunday’s defeat at Wembley, much of the focus has been on who might be leaving Leeds this summer.
Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray, Willy Gnonto and Georginio Rutter have all been touted for exits, but chairman Paraag Marathe has been bullish in his insistence Leeds will have a competitive squad.
Marathe has confirmed funds will be available for Farke to spend, while the announcement of Red Bull’s minor investment will help too.
As a Championship club, though, the Premier League loan market is always one which can prove useful and according to journalist Ben Jacobs, Leeds are among the clubs keen on Chelsea’s Alfie Gilchrist.
It is said Leeds, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers are all interested in signing Gilchrist on loan for the season, who made somewhat of a breakthrough into the first team at Stamford Bridge last season.
In fact, one of Gilchrist’s five starts for the Blues over the course of the campaign actually came against Leeds, in Chelsea’s 3-2 victory in the last-16 of the FA Cup.
Who is Leeds target Alfie Gilchrist?
Gilchrist is a 20-year-old Chelsea academy graduate who is primarily a central defender, who can also play as a full-back.
He played on the left of a back four in that aforementioned match against Leeds, though being right-footed, it is pretty clear that was not his best position.
Gilchrist has made 17 appearances in total for Chelsea’s first team so far, scoring his first goal for the club in a 6-0 win over Everton in April.
Most of his appearances at senior level for the Blues have come as a right-back, but it is in central defence where he played more for the youth sides, whom he captained on several occasions.