Leeds United have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of a potential free agent target.
With Leeds set for a second successive season of Championship football, the free agent market could certainly prove useful to the Whites this summer.
Though the transfer window is not officially open until Friday, those behind-the-scenes will already have been hard at work to ensure Leeds can get some signings through the door early.
Leeds did not make a single signing until the third week of July last year and that slowness in the market ultimately proved costly in their pursuit of promotion.
Paraag Marathe has already acknowledged Leeds cannot afford a repeat of those mistakes this time around, and so pouncing on players who are out of contract could be a quick way to make signings.
New update provided on Leeds target Ben Johnson
Leeds have already been linked with one potential out of contract Premier League player in Fulham’s Bobby De Cordova-Reid, but he certainly isn’t the only one out there who could improve the squad.
Given some of the names who have already left, and who could depart, Leeds are likely to be in need of reinforcements all across the pitch.
Amid the return of Connor Roberts to Burnley, right-back is certainly a position that falls under that category and one name that has been linked is Ben Johnson.
Leeds were keen on signing Johnson on loan from West Ham in January but a deal never materialised, and the 24-year-old has since been holding off on penning a new deal.
However, according to the Athletic, West Ham have made a major new play in attempting to keep the ‘wonderful‘ defender by offering a new five-year contract.
Johnson has rejected several offers of a new deal in recent months and Leeds are one of the sides keen on bringing him. It remains to be seen how this latest attempt from West Ham pans out.
How likely is it that Johnson drops into the Championship?
The main reason that has been cited for Johnson’s reluctance to sign a new deal at the Hammers is game time.
He started just four Premier League matches across the whole of last season and with West Ham out of Europe next term, regular minutes could be even harder to come by.
Leeds is certainly a club that could offer him a place to come and play regularly but ultimately, there are doubts over whether they can meet his wage demands.
His willingness to drop into the Championship has also been questioned in recent weeks, and so Leeds are likely to have to work hard if they want to bring him in.