Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday are in a two-way battle to sign Wolves skipper Danny Batth on loan before Friday’s deadline, according to the Mirror.
Their live transfer blog (03.57) says that the 27-year-old has dropped down the pecking order at Wolves – he is now their fifth-choice centre-back following the arrival of Leander Dendoncker from Anderlecht.
The 6ft 3in enforcer has history with Sheffield Wednesday after spending two spells there on loan.
This would represent a big u-turn for Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa, who has consistently said that he doesn’t need another centre-back.
This was reported again by Phil Hay on the Inside Elland Road podcast (2:30) on Tuesday.
Good move for Leeds?
We think Leeds need a new centre-back. Bielsa might be happy with the players that he’s got at the moment but they are one or two injuries away from serious defensive issues. If Jansson and Cooper went missing they’d be in all sorts of trouble, and getting cover in seems like the sensible option. One of the big troubles is that the quality of player that they want, including Batth, will probably not be happy sitting on the bench. They won’t even get a run-out in the league cup after Leeds crashed out to Preston earlier in the week. So, it’s a tough dilemma, but just taking Batth in isolation, he would improve the Leeds squad and would be a good move.
This is Futbol rating: 7/10
Likely to happen?
It’s unlikely. Bielsa likes the players he’s got and he like the cover that he’s got in the centre of defence. He might be in the minority here, but his is the voice that matters at Elland Road. And that’s a good thing. There’s always the possibility that he’s been plotting to get a centre-back all along and just keeping it under his blue bucket, but that doesn’t seem to be his style.
This is Futbol rating: 2/10