Leeds United ‘interested’ in defensive pair as they plot potential summer targets

Leeds United suffered a damaging 3-1 loss away at West Ham over the weekend. The Whites are now on the brink of relegation back to the Championship with one more game of the season left to play.

They face Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road next Sunday needing a win and other results to go their way to stay in the Premier League. In the meantime, here is a look at some of the latest transfer news and rumours coming out of the club...

Left-back eyed

Leeds are being linked with a summer swoop for left-back Ryan Manning, who will become a free agent when his contract at Swansea City expires at the end of the season. According to a report by Football League World, the Whites are ‘interested’ in luring him to Yorkshire as they start to tentatively make plans for next term regardless of what league they find themselves playing in.

Manning, who is 26-years-old, has been a standout player in the second tier for the Swans since joining them from QPR in 2020. The Republic of Ireland international has made 109 appearances for the Welsh outfit over the past three years and has chipped in with an impressive seven goals and 19 assists from the back.

Defender on radar

AZ Alkmaar left full-back Milos Kerkez is also said to be on Leeds’ radar ahead of the next transfer window along with Benfica, Brighton and Hove Albion, AFC Bournemouth and Wolves, as per The Mirror (printed 21/05/23, page 81).

The 19-year-old has been on the books of fair few clubs so far such as FK Vrbas, Rapid Wien, Hódmezővásárhelyi, Győri and AC Milan and seems to have found a home with AZ. However, they could face a battle to keep hold of him in the near future amid links to England.