Defender wants 'dream' Leeds United transfer as Burnley boss makes table admission

Leeds United won 2-0 at home to QPR last time out. They are back in action after the international break with an away trip to Swansea City as they look to keep their momentum going.

The Whites are currently 3rd in the table behind Sunderland and Sheffield United as they look to get promoted to the Premier League. Here is a look at some of the latest news...

Defender wants Leeds move

Heerenveen defender Nikolai Hopland has said it is his ‘dream’ to play for Leeds one day. The 20-year-old joined his current club on loan with a view to buy back in September.

He has said in an interview with Dutch news outlet Voetbal Primeur: “People often laugh when I say this, but since I was four, it has always been Leeds United. Together with my father, I have been there about 20 times. I think I have every shirt they’ve had in the last 15 years in my wardrobe and I still watch almost every game if it works out with our own schedule. A really great club. It is my dream to play for them one day and I will do everything I can to make that dream come true.”

Hopland, who is a Norway youth international, has made eight appearances in the Eredivisie so far this season. He rose up through the academy ranks at Aalesund and was a regular for them at various different youth levels.

The centre-back broke into the first-team in 2021 and went on to play 61 games in all competitions. His performances alerted the attention of Heerenveen and they swooped to land him in the last transfer window to boost their defensive ranks.

Boss in table admission

Burnley boss Scott Parker has admitted he doesn’t look at the league table. The Clarets are currently two points behind Leeds after the first 15 games.

The Lancashire outfit were relegated from the top flight earlier this year along with Luton Town and Sheffield United. Like the Whites, they want to go up this term and won 1-0 at home to Swansea City last weekend.

Parker has told the Burnley Express: “It’s always important (to stay in touching distance of Leeds, Sunderland and Sheffield United). I don’t really take too much notice of the league, I couldn’t tell you where we were or how the league’s looking, but it’s a competitive league and there’s going to be three or four teams in and around it.

“If we win our games and if we win games, it takes care of itself and that’s my main focus really, to develop this team, keep pushing them in the right way and get us to a place where we’re comfortable and we’ll be in and around it come the end of the season.”

Burnley saw Vincent Kompany head out the exit door after they slipped to relegation after Bayern Munich came calling. They subsequently turned to Parker and he has worked with the likes of Fulham, AFC Bournemouth and Club Brugge in the past.