Leeds United latest: Celtic player link re-emerges, Kalvin Phillips news, Ethan Ampadu reveal | OneFootball

Leeds United are top of the Championship during the current international break with Daniel Farke's side the form team in the division.

The Whites entered this season among the early favourites for promotion and are in the mix again as they sit in first over promotion rivals such as Leicester City thanks to a 2-0 win over Millwall in the last game before the current pause in the regular league season.

The former Norwich City boss is a two-time Championship winner and is unbeaten at Elland Road all season, and also so far since the turn of the year in the league as well, with just a draw away to Huddersfield Town stopping Leeds from winning 13 out of 13 in all 2024 league fixtures.

Farke himself is aiming for a third promotion in as many years from the second tier but the race for promotion will heat up considerably for his side in the next six weeks during the run-in.

Watford and Hull City are their opponents after the international break ends, with Easter weekend a critical period for teams at both ends of the table, which Leeds know all too well after their 2019 collapse under Marcelo Bielsa.

However, in the meantime, with those games looming ever closer, here we have taken a look at some of the latest news and biggest headlines coming out of Elland Road.

Ethan Ampadu had top-flight interest in the summer

Ampadu's versatility has been a key part of Leeds' success. Through the first part of the season, the Welshman was deployed as a holding midfielder, but injuries or a reluctance to turn to fringe centre-back options meant that he needed to drop back into the centre of defence, and, he has performed in both roles to a brilliant standard.

His quality, consistency, and dependability has been key, but Leeds did well to get a hold of him considering the other teams who were interested in his services in the summer. The Athletic's Phil Hay has reported that two mid-table teams in the top-flight of Italian football were interested in signing Ampadu in the summer.

There was also interest coming from Germany's top division due to his agency's good connections with former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann, whilst some teams in the Premier League made speculative approaches for the 23-year-old, as per Hay, but the Championship was where the real interest was coming from.

One source told The Athletic that Ampadu would not have been willing to join the club if they had made an approach for him last season, because of their previous owners. But they praised 49ers Enterprises for putting the right people in place to run the club, such as Nick Hammond.

Matt O'Riley talk re-emerges

Leeds could make a summer bid for Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley if they win promotion at the end of the season, according to Give Me Sport. The report has also named Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford as two sides that are interested in the 23-year-old,

The Whites have a long-standing interest in the midfielder, as it had been claimed by Sky Sports News a few days before the summer transfer window shut, that both Leeds and Southampton were interested in a deal for the English-born Danish international.

However, Southampton never made an offer for the player, but with hours to go, Leeds made a £10 million bid for the 23-year-old, which was rejected by Celtic. It appears a deal could be back on the table in the summer, in spite of plenty of reported top-flight interest around Europe, too.

Kalvin Phillips not expected to be a summer target

Leeds are not looking into a potential return for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips at this stage, according to Ben Jacobs, who revealed this information to Give Me Sport.

Phillips spent the most successful time of his career at Elland Road and a return could prove to be beneficial for all parties. The Whites may still be in the second tier, but aren't looking at a move for the midfielder at this point.

This is according to Jacobs, who told Give Me Sport: "From Leeds' perspective, they are not looking at a Phillips return at this stage.

"They won't know whether that is going to change until they know which division they are going to be playing in next season. Even if they wanted Phillips, he would obviously have to reduce his wage.

"I think that there will be plenty of interest in Phillips at the right price. We know that Newcastle have looked in the past as well, and that level of interest has always allowed Manchester City to do things on their own terms.

"I think that Manchester City feel a loan gets Phillips' wages off the books and, more importantly, gets him playing. That hopefully puts him on the radar, and more than one club comes calling so that Manchester City can get their price."