Leeds United preference upon look at Premier League defender and new midfielder issue after bid

Leeds United have a clear preference after looking at a young Premier League defender and a key midfield target stumbling block to deal with.

Leeds are keen to add a new centre-midfielder to their ranks this summer and the Whites have already seen one bid for FC Koln’s Austrian international midfielder Dejan Ljubicic rejected, believed to be amounting to £3.3m.

Leeds remain interested in the 26-year-old midfielder but Koln are believed to be demanding a very high fee for a player who has just one year left on his current deal.

The YEP understands that those demands, at this stage, are making a Whites move for Ljubicic unlikely.

Reports also emerged over the weekend that Leeds had concrete interest in young Chelsea centre-back Bashir Humphreys and the YEP understands that the 21-year-old is a player the Whites have looked at.

However, Leeds would prefer to bring in a natural full-back after losing the versatile Archie Gray to Tottenham this summer in a £40m deal and Wolves full-back Hugo Bueno is a player the Whites are keen on. Bueno, though, is set to seal a season-long loan move to Feyenoord.

Leeds have also been linked with a move for 19-year-old Liverpool midfielder Bobby Clark but the YEP understands he is not a player the Whites are looking at.

The summer transfer window closes at 11pm on Friday, August 30 and the YEP understands that Leeds are keen to ensure they make the right moves and not panic with two and a half weeks of the window still left.