Leeds United and Rangers in West Ham transfer chase | OneFootball

Leeds United seem all but out of the automatic promotion race, with rivals Ipswich only needing a point on the final day to secure Premier League status.

That does not mean, however, that Leeds are not already planning for next season in regard to summer signings.

With club legend Luke Ayling looking set to depart, amid interest from various clubs, the side from LS1 are going to need to source a replacement.

And Farke and his scouting team seem to have found their target, West Ham's Ben Johnson, as per the Athletic, with Scottish giants Rangers also weighing up a swoop for the Hammers defender.

Daniel Farke eying a bargain move for Johnson

Ben Johnson has been a squad player for West Ham throughout this season, often finding himself coming off the bench in Premier League games, and starting games in cup or European competitions.

Without the guarantee of first team football going forward then, the fullback and his team have rejected the multiple contract offers that West Ham have reportedly offered, according to The Athletic.

This will mean that after 17 years at his boyhood club, he will be playing his football at a different club next year, and Farke is keen to acquire his services.

The full-back would arrive with plenty of Premier League experience, having featured in the top flight for West Ham 69 times in the six years since he signed his first professional contract, which would certainly be an attractive feature for Leeds and Farke.

He would certainly offer a different option to current right-back Sam Byram, with Johnson being much more versatile.

In his time in the academy system and first team squad, Johnson has featured on the left side of defence, as well as further up on either flank and even in midfield.

He also has displayed that he has pace to burn and would definitely be a lively option wherever Farke deploys, should he sign for Leeds.

Leeds will need an Ayling replacement

Leeds are certainly in the market for players in Johnson's position, as it looks increasingly likely that long-serving defender Luke Ayling will be off to find pastures new this summer.

The Lambeth-born player has been with Leeds since his move to Elland Road in August 2016, and in that time has, according to transfermarkt, made 268 appearances.

In the middle of this season, however, after losing his place to youngster Archie Gray, Ayling joined Middlesbrough on loan and promptly announced that he would most likely not be renewing his deal with the West Yorkshire-based side.

With Gray being pulled out of his natural central-midfield position to play in that right-back slot, and Byram not being quality enough in Farke's eyes, Leeds will need that Ayling replacement, and should be pulling out all the stops to beat the reported interest from Crystal Palace and Rangers and sign Johnson.

Johnson's transfer may be dependent on promotion

There is a chance that this move for Johnson to help replace Ayling may not happen, however. Despite Leeds being a top club in the second division, if they can't offer Premier League football, then their chances of signing the right back may be slim.

The side from Elland Road currently sit behind Ipswich Town in third place, and having seen the Tractor Boys win at Coventry during midweek, will know that, unless the Suffolk-based side lose this weekend at home to relegation-threatened Huddersfield Town, they will have to settle for play-offs.

And with Leeds arguably being an out-of-form side at this point in time, their chances of securing that Premier League spot that they so desperately crave may be slipping away from them, and with that, their chance of signing a top target.

A lot will be decided at 12:30 then this coming Saturday, as the destination of Leeds United, and the destination of their right back target lays firmly in the balance.