Leeds United are already set to sign one Premier League defender in Joe Rodon this summer, but he may not be the only one.
After weeks of speculation regarding whether Rodon would be returning to Elland Road following such a successful loan spell, Leeds have got their man.
Leeds beat off plenty of Premier League competition in the race to sign the Welshman, with Ipswich Town even seeing an offer of £10 million rejected by Spurs.
However, once it became apparent Archie Gray was on his way to the North London club, it was always going to make sense for Leeds to include Rodon in the deal, which is what they did.
With that said, Rodon is unlikely to be the only centre-back Leeds sign. Liam Cooper is still yet to decide whether to sign a new deal, while Charlie Cresswell is also expected to depart, even if his move to Toulouse is now off.
Report shares new update on future of Leeds target Nat Phillips
It is going to be difficult for Leeds to attract another real top centre-back at this level to Elland Road with Rodon and Pascal Struijk quite clearly the first choice pairing.
Until Struijk’s injury on Boxing Day, the two struck up a very strong partnership at the back and so anyone who does come in, may have to settle for being second choice.
Ethan Ampadu spent the entire second half of the season as Struijk’s deputy last term, but with Gray now gone, he will be needed in midfield again.
One other centre-back who has already been linked with a move to Leeds this summer is Nat Phillips, having also been a target 12 months ago.
The Athletic have this morning provided a new update on Phillips’ future by reporting that he is ‘certain’ to leave Anfield at some stage in the coming weeks.
Phillips is out of contract at Liverpool in 12 months’ time and so any move is likely to have to be on a permanent, which is likely to help Leeds and rule out his former loan club Cardiff City.
An asking price of £8 million is reported to have been set by the Reds, but it would not be a surprise to see that come down as the window progresses. That could be when Leeds decide to swoop.
Leeds should only swoop for Phillips if £8m price tag is reduced
Having already spent £10 million to sign Rodon, it would be daft for Leeds to go and blow another £8 million on someone who is only a backup.
As mentioned, Leeds should only look to move for the 27-year-old if Liverpool drop their asking price. They don’t have a bottomless pit of cash to spend this summer.
What’s more, despite his age, Phillips is still yet to even make 100 senior appearances across his career and so there is little justification for Liverpool to charge such a fee.
That said, he proved in his loan spell at Cardiff during the second half of last season that he is a good centre-back at this level, and would be a solid understudy to Rodon and Struijk.