Leeds United in battle with Nottingham Forest and Wolves for ex-Premier League star | OneFootball

The Whites are believed to be interested in Godfrey, but they must do one thing before a deal becomes possible.

Leeds United have retained an interest in Atalanta defender Ben Godfrey.

This is according to TBR Football, who have revealed the latest on the ex-Everton man's situation out in Italy.

Godrey, who mainly plays as a centre-back but can also do a job at full-back, could end up being an ideal addition for the West Yorkshire side.

The Whites may have the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and Max Wober when all four are fit, but Ampadu has played in midfield this season and his absence in recent months has reinforced the need for more depth to be added to this area.

With Charlie Cresswell, Diego Llorente and Robin Koch all leaving Elland Road this year, it seems clear that the centre-back area should be one of Daniel Farke's priorities for the upcoming January transfer window.

However, Leeds will face a battle to sign Godfrey if they try to get a deal over the line for him, something they tried and failed to do during the last window.

Leeds United face battle for Ben Godfrey

There are no shortage of clubs interested in securing a deal for Godfrey, with Brighton and Hove Albion, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers all believed to be in the mix for him. Forest are thought to be on high alert for him at this point.

The Premier League teams look set to gain an advantage in this race though, with the TBR Football report stating that the Whites would only be able to sign him in the summer if they win promotion to the top flight at the end of this term.

That isn't the only barrier in their quest to sign Godfrey. It's believed that the Italian side are happy with the player at the moment and the defender is settled at his current side, even though he hasn't won as much game time as he would have wanted to this term.

Leeds United should keep tabs on Ben Godfrey throughout the 2024/25 campaign

It can't be forgotten that Godrey has represented England in the past.

He may not have won much game time this season, but he's clearly a talented player, and the experience he may gain from now until the end of the season could be valuable.

Godfrey is certainly someone the Whites should continue keeping tabs on.

They may decide that they should target alternatives during the summer window.

However, keeping him on their radar will allow the West Yorkshire side to fully assess him, before deciding whether he would be a shrewd addition at Elland Road.