Leeds United want to follow up the signing of Japan midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi by landing a new centre-back in the January window, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The regional newspaper claim that the Championship promotion hopefuls are not planning significant changes in the forthcoming window.
The Yorkshire Evening Post report that Leeds are targeting a young centre-back to bolster a back line that is currently reliant on senior pairing Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper, backed up by on-loan Everton player Matthew Pennington.
Manager Thomas Christiansen has refused to be drawn on the club’s January plans but admitted at his media briefing last Friday that a deal has been secured for Ideguchi to join from Japanese club Gamba Osaka.
Christiansen became the first Leeds official on Friday to confirm an agreement is in place with Ideguchi’s club Gamba Osaka.
But the Elland Road manager explained that he will not be able to play for Leeds straight away as the Football Association rules will deny him a work permit for the rest of the season.
TC on Ideguchi – a signing for the future, he says. Confirmed that he won’t be used here straight away (due to the work permit issue). #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 15, 2017
The 21-year-old, who has scored twice in eight international appearances, has featured 96 times for Japanese top-flight side Gamba Osaka.
OPINION
It will be a relief to the Elland Road faithful that Victor Orta and his recruitment team are in the market for a new centre-back in January, although there might be some concern that the club want to recruit a rising star rather than a proven one. Leeds’ current options are Jansson, Cooper, Pennington and 21-year-old Conor Shaughnessy. The senior two are nailed-on starters now that Jansson has overcome his October blip, but Christiansen is likely to rotate his centre-backs during the festive period. Any club with genuine promotion ambitions needs four centre-backs capable of slotting in as situations demand. Shaughnessy is better as a fifth rather than four option, which is what Leeds need in the forthcoming window.