, Leeds United target free Premier League midfielder – promotion not dependent

Leeds United target free Premier League midfielder – promotion not dependent

According to Pete O’Rourke, a sports journalist who contributes to various sites, Leeds United have set their sights on Fulham’s Norwegian midfielder Stefan Johansen.

Johansen is available on a free, his contract due to run out this summer.  The 28-year-old Varda-born central midfielder is currently on loan at Leeds’ Sky Bet Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion.

Citing a “Leeds United source“, O’Rourke (writing in Football Insider) says that the Whites have “identified” Johansen “as a potential target” due to the fact that he is a free agent in the summer.

47-cap Norwegian ace Johansen has featured five times for the Baggies since joining in January – scoring against Ipswich earlier this month. The Fulham man has plenty of experience at Championship level too – featuring 86 times for the Cottagers and scoring 20 times.

Reporter O’Rourke goes on to say that Leeds United “are busy planning to add to their squad” over the summer. He also says that interest in Johansen is not dependent on gaining promotion to the Premier League this season.

United sit a comfortable 3rd place and have another eight games to navigate in order to see whether promotion is on the cards. O’Rourke adds a soothing salves to any worries that Leeds fans might have over this interest saying it is interest “whatever league they are playing [in] next season.”

The72 opinion – interest in Johansen, a view

Should Leeds United go up the Premier League, either automatically or through the play-offs, they are going to need reinforcements. Running a razor-thin squad, at the behest of Marcelo Bielsa, would get found out what with the demands of playing in English football’s top-tier.

It’s been a strategy that has seen the Whites suffer around 50 separate injuries over this campaign. It would be a logical step to take would bringing in Johansen, and probably a few others. But does that mean Leeds United will be going for Johansen?

I’m a cynic by nature, and I am a cynic here on this one. It’s that time of the year where names start to get put forward along the lines of ‘Player X is interesting Club Y’. Leeds United are a big ‘Club Y’ when it comes to social media and players being linked to them.

I’m not saying that it is beyond the realm of possibility, but I always get sceptical when it says something akin to ‘a source close to the club’.

Previous Article
, Swansea City set to trigger defender’s contract extension to stave off Aston Villa interest

Swansea City set to trigger defender's contract extension to stave off Aston Villa interest

Next Article
, Leeds United to sanction summer player exit after disappointing spell

Leeds United to sanction summer player exit after disappointing spell

Related Posts