Leeds United are weighing up a summer move for soon-to-be-available Fleetwood Town defender Conor McLaughlin, according to a reliable journalist.
The Sun reporter Alan Nixon claimed on his personal Twitter account on Sunday morning that Leeds were one of three English sides looking to snap up the 25-year-old on a free transfer.
McLaughlin is out of contract at the end of the month, and is set to call time on a five-year stay at the League One outfit after failing to land a new deal.
However, Nixon’s claim that Leeds are only ‘lurking’ in pursuit of the player suggests that they are yet to step up their interest, despite competition from Championship rivals Millwall and Bolton.
Millwall, who were promoted to the Championship via the League One play-offs last season, are said to currently be ‘in’ for McLaughlin, while Bolton are understood to have ‘been in’, for the player.
The specific wording from Nixon on Twitter perhaps suggests that Bolton may be prepared to pull-the-plug on their pursuit of the Fleetwood man, meaning Leeds may only have to compete with the Lions.
A right-back by trade, the versatile McLaughlin can operate anywhere across the back-four, which can present newly-appointed Leeds manager Thomas Christiansen with valuable and much-needed defensive cover.
But the 23-time Northern Ireland international has little Championship experience, having made just seven career appearances in the competition for Preston North End in 2010-11.
He made 49 appearances for Fleetwood Town in League One during the 2016-17 campaign, scoring five goals and supplying two assists.