Brugge defender De Bock emerging as option for Leeds United at left back

Twenty-five-year old defender De Bock has made over 200 appearances in the Belgian top flight for present side Brugge and former club Lokeren, scoring twice.

The defender joined Brugge for a fee in the region of €3m in 2013 but the former Belgian under-21 international has featured only six times this season.

Reports in Belgium suggest that there have been talks between Leeds and De Bock’s representatives and that personal terms have already been agreed but that no agreement was in place with Brugge for the defender who has been capped 55 times at youth level for his country.

Brugges are top of the Jupiler Pro League after 21 games and sit nine points clear.

The YEP understands that De Bock is an option for the Whites.

Natural right back Gaetano Berardi has been operating as first choice left back for Leeds with Luke Ayling at right back but Ayling injured his knee during the goalless draw with Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on New Year’s Day though Ayling revealed on his Instagram page that evening that the injury was “nothing serious.”

Asked about the latest with Ayling at Friday afternoon’s pre-Newport County FA Cup press conference, Whites head coach Thomas Christiansen said: “We are still making some tests to see how it will go with him but it doesn’t look so bad.”

Vurnon Anita, signed from Newcastle United in the summer, and Manchester United loanee Cameron Borthwick-Jackson are other left backs currently at Leeds, along with Tyler Denton who has recently returned from a loan spell at Port Vale due to family reasons.

Borthwick-Jackson has rarely featured since his switch from Old Trafford but Christiansen has confirmed that the Red Devils loanee will start in Sunday’s third round FA Cup tie at Newport.