Leeds boost as Championship rivals don’t want to meet left-back’s £20k-a-week wage demands

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A left-back is likely to be high on Leeds United’s agenda in the final days of the transfer window and Leeds have just received a boost in pursuit of one player eyed by The Whites.

Leeds have lost a number of full-backs over the last couple of months. Connor Roberts returned to parent club Burnley, Archie Gray went to Tottenham and Jamie Shackleton left on a free to join Sheffield United.

Luke Ayling and Cody Drameh have also left on free transfers after spells out on loan, while Danish player Rasmus Kristensen was coined “crazy” by German media after his debut for Frankfurt on Monday night.

Those exits have left Leeds with just Jayden Bogle, Sam Byram and Junior Firpo as options at full-back. Given Byram is both injury-prone and right-footed, Leeds are expected to try and bring in a left-back.

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Leeds have been linked with a number of different left-backs

Wolves ace Hugo Bueno is one, but Bueno joined Feyenoord on loan and got an assist four minutes into his debut. That was against Anselmo MacNulty’s PEC Zwolle, another player linked with a move to Leeds.

Another linked with Leeds is right-back Michael Lang after he became a free agent. A move for a right-sided full-back would see Byram primarily become cover for Firpo, which is not the end of the world.

AC Milan’s Fode Ballo-Toure has been strongly linked with Leeds and Watford in Italian media over the last few weeks. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, now a sporting director at Milan, said he is training with the U21’s.

Fode Ballo-Toure boost as Watford make decision on left-back

The Senegal star endured a woeful loan at Fulham last season, playing just eight games. Ballo-Toure has already rejected a move to Besiktas and now, CalcioMercato say he’s turned down a move to St. Etienne.

The report also says that Tom Cleverley’s Watford are unwilling to meet Ballo-Toure’s £20k-a-week wage demands. A figure that Leeds might be much more able to afford in the last nine days of the window.

Whether Ballo-Toure is keen on a move to Leeds and the second tier of English football remains to be seen. Indeed, there are no guarantees he would start over Firpo, but Milan are desperate to get rid of him.