'I did not talk with him' - Huddersfield Town boss Carlos Corberan on Leeds United target Lewis O'Brien

LEEDS TARGET - Leeds United have identified Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O'Brien as a suitable candidate for their central midfield squad vacancy. Pic: Getty

Corberan's former employers like the midfielder and made an initial offer but failed to reach an agreement with the Championship club.

It is not yet clear if the Whites will return to the negotiating table for a player in the last year of his contract, albeit with an option for a further year on top of that.

O'Brien has not been available for Corberan this week in any case, as he has been recovering from Covid-19.

“I did not talk with him about any (transfer) situation," said the Whites' former Under 23s head coach.

“I cannot be thinking now about (speculation) on O’Brien because O’Brien is with us. Now, unfortunately, we don’t have him working with the team because we know he has had Covid."

O'Brien, who has shone for Huddersfield after making an impressive entry to senior football with a loan spell at Bradford City, has been identified as a player who would fit the mould for Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds.

The Argentine was present at Hillsborough to watch O'Brien in Huddersfield's EFL Cup game against Sheffield Wednesday.

The man who previously assisted Bielsa at Leeds can't wait to have the 22-year-old back in his team. O'Brien's intensity marks him out as a special operator for the Terriers.

“I think he is going to be one of the first players to adapt and come back again with the team and to the normal level," said Corberan.

“He had a test [on Wednesday] and finished his isolation process, so we hope he can come back to the team just as fast, as he is an important player for us. I know how important he is as a player. I know what O’Brien brings from the physical point of view and on the ball and I know how difficult it is to find one player that does the same as him in every game.

“As every time I look at his GPS values, he is one player that every two days is able to achieve more than 1,500 high-intensity metres – something that is not usual in any player.

“I never had the experience to see these values before in my life."