OPINION
Leeds are reportedly interested in signing Brentford defender Harlee Dean.
West London Sport claim that the Whites are keen on landing the 26-year-old, while Sheffield Wednesday and Hull have also been monitoring his situation.
It is understood that the centre-back is keeping his options open after being stripped of the captaincy and that he is in the final year of his contract at Griffin Park.
Brentford manager Dean Smith has revealed that there have been no offers for the club’s defender as of yet.
“There’s no contract at the moment. He’s not signed and we’ve not had any offers or bids or interest shown,” Smith said.
Good move for Leeds?
Leeds manager Thomas Christiansen still needs to sign a centre-back before the close of the window and Dean would be a brilliant addition.
The 26-year-old is a real old-fashioned defender that would become a popular player at Elland Road if he moved.
Dean could compete for a starting XI position and the Yorkshire giants have already had problems in the centre-back position.
Pontus Jansson is likely to pick up a suspension throughout the campaign, while Liam Cooper and Matthew Pennington have both suffered injuries already this season.
Conor Shaughnessy is a viable option too at the back, but he is a midfielder by trade and Leeds would be best served bringing in a recognised defender.
Dean appears to tick all the boxes and has shown his reliability during his 247 games for Brentford.
This Is Futbol rating: 9/10
Likely to happen?
It seems plausible that Dean could end his five-year stay with Brentford after being stripped of the captaincy at Griffin Park and the fact that the is entering the final year of his contract.
Many Leeds fans want to see a new centre-back arrival in the remaining weeks of the window and it would make sense to sign someone with Championship know-how.
However, the Whites would face big competition for Dean’s signature and Brentford’s manager has confirmed that they are yet to receive a bid for him.
Christiansen also has make-shift centre-backs in Shaughnessy and Luke Ayling so may feel he already has enough options in his squad.
This Is Futbol rating: 4/10