Leeds United defender has gone on trial with top-tier club this week amid relegation scrap

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Three players have already left Leeds United this month in the form of Joe Gelhardt, Luca Thomas and Charlie Crew and now another has gone on trial with a top-tier side.

Joe Gelhardt has gone to Hull City until the end of the season after managing just three appearances for Leeds during the first half of the season. He had become Leeds’ fourth-choice striker under Daniel Farke.

Then, Wales international Charlie Crew joined League Two side Doncaster Rovers until June. In the U21’s, striker Luca Thomas has returned after a couple of months at York City and has gone on loan to Halifax.

Now, a fourth player could leave Leeds this month and it might even be on a permanent basis. Indeed, Scottish side St. Johnstone sit rock-bottom of the Premiership and have taken a Leeds player on trial.

• READ MORE: Sheffield United u-turn as The Blades choose not to pursue deal for Leeds target

Kris Moore goes on trial to Scottish side St. Johnstone

Now 21, Kris Moore has failed to play a single game for Leeds’ first team. The centre-back however has been a regular with the U21 side at Thorp Arch for a few years, clocking up 73 second-string matches.

Out of contract in the summer, Moore is expected to leave Leeds at some point in 2025. It appears The Whites are willing to let him go, having allowed Moore to go on trial with Hibernian during 2023-24.

Now, Moore has travelled north of the border once again to go on trial with St. Johnstone. Saints boss Simo Valakari has told The Courier that Moore has gone on trial at after he was recommended to him.

“Kris Moore is training with us this week so we can have a look at him. He has come recommended, it will be interesting to see how he gets on. He has played for Leeds United’s U23 team so we will watch him.”

Kris Moore needs a move but is St. Johnstone the smart move?

The Saints are undergoing a January rebuild and currently sit bottom of the pile, behind 11th-place by a whopping nine points. The chances are that that Saints will be relegated come the end of the campaign.

Does Moore want to join a side that are likely to be in Scotland’s second tier next season? Perhaps, he can catch the eye over the next six months if he does join St. Johnstone and attract a summer bid elsewhere.

Scott Gardner says Moore will “run through a brick wall” and if he does get some game time then he may convince another Premiership side to take look. But he will need to impress with St. Johnstone first.