England international offered to Leeds United will cost £13m, could replace Isaac Schmidt

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Leeds United are keen to bring in cover at full-back after Saturday’s draw against Villarreal highlighted the need for another defensive signing, and one potential option would cost £13m.

With Jayden Bogle one of five Leeds players currently out injured, Leeds started with Isaac Schmidt and new signing Gabriel Gudmundsson on Saturday. The latter was forced to play the entire 90 minutes.

Sam Byram came on for Schmidt during the 1-1 draw, but there was a heart-in-mouth moment when Gudmundsson went down and required treatment in the Leeds box, after a collision with Illan Meslier.

Schmidt is set for a move to Werder Bremen, while Bogle is set to return for the AC Milan game in Dublin on Saturday. Leeds need cover at full-back and one potential signing could be Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

• READ MORE: Saturday’s opponents AC Milan want to sign £30m Leeds target, talks underway

Ainsley Maitland-Niles fee emerges as Leeds offered player

At the start of the summer, England international Maitland-Niles was touted with a return to the Premier League after two years at Lyon. The former Arsenal man has rejuvenated his career in Ligue 1 with Lyon.

Now, LeedsUnited.News has been told that Leeds have been offered Maitland-Niles’ services. It is still unclear if Leeds are actually interested in Maitland-Niles, who has two years left on his Lyon contract.

However, the player’s representatives have been in touch with Leeds to offer him to the club, with Beren Cross reporting Leeds want four more signings. According to Foot01, Lyon want £13m for Maitland-Niles.

Which other full-backs are on Leeds’ radar ahead of Everton?

Interestingly, Maitland-Niles has as much chance as playing for Leeds on August 18, as he does for Everton. Reports this week say David Moyes is keen on luring Maitland-Niles to Everton this summer.

He is not the only full-back that Leeds could sign. LeedsUnited.News also understand that Leicester City’s James Justin is a target to replace Schmidt, while Leeds are supposedly in talks to sign Mattia Zanotti.

The Italian played alongside Willy Gnonto at the U21 European Championships this summer, and is currently a teammate of Gjanni Alioski’s at Lugano in Switzerland. A deal is said to be worth £8.7m.