4 left-back targets Leeds United should still have | OneFootball

4 left-back targets Leeds United should still have | OneFootball

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Football League World

·27 January 2024

4 left-back targets Leeds United should still have

Article image:4 left-back targets Leeds United should still have

Highlights

  1. Leeds United are in need of full-back reinforcements before the transfer window deadline.
  2. Leeds currently only has three full-backs, with one of them being a midfielder in Archie Gray.
  3. The club should consider signing Matt Targett, Ryan Sessegnon, Borna Barisic, or Sergio Gomez on loan to solve their left-back issues.

The transfer window deadline is looming, and Leeds United continue to be a club in need of full-back reinforcements.

Djed Spence and Luke Ayling's departures earlier in the market left Daniel Farke needing a wide defender to come into his ranks. Currently, the Whites have youngster Archie Gray in the right-back slot, and whilst Sam Byram is a natural in that position, he's had to help out at left-back over the course of the season with Junior Firpo spending some time out of action with injury.


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Just three full-backs isn't ideal heading into the final stretch of the season, particularly with one (Gray) a midfielder by trade. That has been made worse by Ryan Giles' apparent snub of the club in favour of Hull City.

There isn't much time left for the Yorkshire outfit to sort their downfalls - and Football League World takes a look at four potential recruits they could sign on loan to solve their left-back issues, considering there are Gray and Byram at right-back if they can cover Firpo suitably.

Matt Targett

Targett is a player that could be seen as being a victim of Newcastle's instant success under Eddie Howe. The left-back was signed on a permanent deal at St. James' Park at the start of last summer, signing on a four-year-deal - but the emergence of Dan Burn as a starting left-back could mean his days are numbered.

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He's only featured in 20 Premier League games since the start of last season, and with Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall coming into the fold it could make matters even worse for the Hampshire-born star. Leeds would be gaining an absolute coup at this level if he was to sign and with plenty of top-flight clubs having their left-back issues sorted, a drop-down to the second-tier may be just what he needs.

Ryan Sessegnon

Sessegnon signed for Tottenham as a fledgling, breakthrough young star from Fulham as a teenager, but his early hype hasn't quite gone to plan in North London.

Less than 40 league appearances in the four years he's been at Tottenham haven't seen him nail a first-team place with Destiny Udogie currently taking that crown, and a loan spell at Hoffenheim wasn't particularly outstanding in lockdown.

The Championship is where Sessegnon made his name, and it could be easy to forget he's only 23 years of age. There is still ample room for him to improve upon what he learned at Craven Cottage, and a return to his second-tier roots could reignite the flame.

Borna Barisic

Borna Barisic has already been linked with Leeds in the January window, but a reported update suggesting that Rangers are in the closing stages of a deal to sign Fluminense left-back Jefte could push the Croatian further to the exit door.

Barisic has six months left on his contract and whilst talks aren't thought to be advancing with the Ibrox club, three left-backs at the club would be overly excessive from Philippe Clement. Barisic represents someone who has strong set-piece ability which is somewhat lacking at Leeds at the moment, and with a wealth of experience in the Europa League and for his country, it's not a deal that Leeds should turn their noses up at.

Sergio Gomez

You simply never know with the transfer market - some late deals can go through that completely surprise everyone in their nature.

Gomez simply hasn't had the effect he will have hoped for at Manchester City since his move from Anderlecht at the start of last season. Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol have both been preferred by Pep Guardiola in major competitions, and Gomez, as a result, has made the majority of his appearances in the cups.

In a system that would suit him extremely well, Farke could pull off one of the coups of the window if the Spaniard decides to join on a six-month loan, and akin to Hull's outstanding capture of Fabio Carvalho on a similar deal from Liverpool, you simply can't rule it out.

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