Bleacher Report journalist Dean Jones caught the attention of plenty of Leeds United fans on Twitter recently after he posted a tweet claiming that the Whites are ‘looking into a deal for River Plate defender Gonzalo Montiel.’
Montiel’s current contract with Argentinian side River Plate is set to expire next summer and he is valued at £7.2m, as per Transfermarkt, however, the Argentina international would cost Marcelo Bielsa’s side ‘around £15m’ according to Jones.
After the Bleacher Report journalist shared this alleged Whites transfer news on Twitter, some Leeds supporters replied to his tweet to share their thoughts on this claim.
Hearing that Leeds are looking into a deal for River Plate defender Gonzalo Montiel. Deal would cost around £15m
— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesSoccer) July 31, 2020
Plenty of Whites fans were sceptical about this alleged news. Some Leeds supporters cited the fact that Montiel has primarily played at right-back thus far during his career as a reason for why their club won’t target him – indicating that they don’t believe that Leeds need to improve in that area of the pitch.
For a right back??? Naaah
— Tricky? (@rpatz1919) July 31, 2020
Not a chance one of Bielsas positions is rb with ayling dallas and shack all more than capable.
— Tom (Leeds) (@Loiner_1990) July 31, 2020
He is a right back, it would surprise me if it happened.
— MCC1 (@1amcc) July 31, 2020
One of my favorite defenders coming to my favorite team? YES PLEASE!!!!!!! https://t.co/xBU5ZweOHY
— Francisco Palacios (@FJPalacios23) July 31, 2020
Here we go! https://t.co/HP9RyUpEz7
— In Full Swing (@InFullSwing_) July 31, 2020
One particular Leeds supporter replied to this tweet to describe this news as ‘nonsense.’
Nonsense
— LUFC BBQ ? (@ThegreekZorba) July 31, 2020
Some Leeds fans mentioned The Athletic’s Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay in response to this tweet to ask him if there is any truth to this claim.
Do Leeds need to sign a right-back?
YES
NO
@PhilHay_ any truth??
— Nicholas (@NicholasNapier9) July 31, 2020
Not on your list @PhilHay_ . Is there something in this?
— Paul Marriott (@paul_marriott11) July 31, 2020
Hay and The Athletic’s football analytics writer Tom Worville recently produced an article in which they discussed the Whites’ recruitment this summer and that article included an image that provided a visualisation of Leeds United’s squad depth heading into the 2020/21 campaign and that image included Luke Ayling as the Whites’ only natural right-back option.
With that in mind, while some of these Leeds fans don’t seem to believe that the Whites need to sign reinforcements at right-back, perhaps they could do with another natural option in that position.