Leeds United have brought in six players in an unprecedented bout of transfer activity, unless you count the initial wave of Italians brought over when Cellino bought the club. However, in recent Tweet (below) Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Phil Hay seems to confirm that signing number seven is on the way.
Swedish media now saying ex-Watford centre-back Joel Ekstrand on a free transfer to Leeds is a goer. Looking like signing number seven #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) July 9, 2016
Free transfers appeal mainly to clubs as they set about gaining bargains out of players, but Ekstrand, whilst a free agent, is coming off of a release by Premier League Watford after a prolonged injury.
Ekstrand, a two-cap Sweden international, last played competitively for the Hornets in March 2015, a game where he suffered a cruciate knee injury against Ipswich. The severity of the injury has meant that he missed all of Watford’s Premier League campaign, being released at the end of the season just gone.
The following Tweet was the thing that kick-started the whole shebang and there was then a report by Swedish media outfit Fotbollskanalen which seemed to validate the building rumour.
https://twitter.com/joerawson/status/751446921567436800
One of the major problems that Leeds United had throughout last season was the inconsistencies at the heart of the defence, but it will be a new-look defensive unit that Whites fans will see in the coming season. Goalkeeper Marco Silvestri is likely to be demoted and moving on after being sent back from the Ireland tour and likely replaced by new man Rob Green.
Error-prone central defender Giuseppe Bellusci has also been sent out on loan for the season to Serie A side Empoli and Swansea defender Kyle Bartley brought into the side. Adding Ekstrand, if fit, will add a level of competition for places with Leeds’ club captain Sol Bamba and new Scottish international Liam Cooper being the other two established centr-backs.
Whilst fans may rightly be concerned about the extent of Ekstrand’s injury and his subsequent recuperation, Hay moves to reassure worried Leeds fans with the following Tweet.
The concern Leeds had about Ekstrand at the start was his fitness and recent injuries. Medical will check all that. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) July 9, 2016
With Ekstrand’s potential arrival turning a half-dozen signatures into a magnificent seven, there may be added good news with United said to be also in for a ‘mystery’ winger.
Transfer riches and promises of more, Leeds fans will certainly have every right to be optimistic ahead of the 2016/17 Championship campaign.
