, Leeds United: two free agent targets – media comments

Leeds United: two free agent targets – media comments

Since Sol Bamba left the club, Leeds United currently only have the three established and recognised centre-backs on the books: Liam Cooper, Kyle Bartley and Pontus Jansson. Of these, only Cooper is a full-on Leeds player, but Algerian publication La Gazette du Fennec says this could be about to change.

La Gazette du Fennec states the Whites are interested in defender Essaid Belkalem, the 27-year-old having terminated his contract with Premier League Watford last Tuesday. After terminating his contract with the Hornets, the Algerian turned down interest from Romanian side Dinamo Bucharest according to the Algerian publication.

The 19-cap Algerian international, whose last international appearance for Algeria was two years ago in a 2-0 African Cup of Nations loss to Mali, came to Watford from Spanish La Liga side Granada at the opening of the 2014 summer transfer window after having spent the previous season at the Vicarage on loan. He also featured for Algeria in the 2014 World Cup, appearing in games against South Korea (4-2 win), Russia (1-1 draw) and in the last 16 match against Germany (2-1 loss AET).

In total central defender Belkalem, who stands at 6ft 2in, has made just 10 appearances for the Hornets, eight of these coming during Watford’s 2013/14 Championship season. The following season saw him on loan in the Turkish Süper Liga with Trabzonspor where he featured in 16 games, scoring two goals and eight Europa League games, scoring one goal.

La Gazette du Fennec say that Belkalem’s main urge is he “wants a club that guarantees him playing time in a competitive league to find a place in the National Team,” citing the Sky Bet Championship as somewhere that represents a “future point of fall” for the Algerian who is looking to break back into the national team reckoning.

The Algerian publication postulates that Leeds United were interested in the defender “in the past” but it remains to be seen as to whether this interest is firmed up by the Elland Road side in the present moment. as with anything at the moment regarding Leeds United ‘interest’ and ‘free agents’, time will be the factor as to how this one turns out.

Leeds are also said to be interested in the signature of free agent Kieran Richardson, according to the print edition of today’s Sunday Mirror, as per a report by HITC Sport. The left-back recently left relegated Aston Villa, having gained 264 appearances at Premier League level over a career that saw him come up through the youth ranks at Manchester United before earning a £7m move to Sunderland.

Leeds’ need for a left-back is exacerbated by the Charlie Taylor situation, the Whites’ starlet having handed in a transfer request that was subsequently rejected by the club. Taylor is in the last year of his contract with the only real cover at the club being youngster Tyler Denton, veteran of just one start in the EFL Cup against Luton Town – a 1-0 victory where he not only made his début but also scored the only goal of the game with a left-footed effort from the edge of the area.

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