Leeds United ‘target’ Chelsea academy product amid contract talks

Leeds United have resumed their pursuit of Torino defender Ola Aina, according to Tuttosport. The Whites have been linked with the 26-year-old on a number of occasions in recent years.

Aina spent eight years in Chelsea’s academy as a youngster but only managed a handful of appearances for the senior team before enjoying loan spells with Hull City and Torino. The full-back’s success in Italy led to a permanent move to Serie A and he has since established himself as a regular in the starting line-up.

After starting seven of Torino’s 15 league matches this season, Leeds United will now look to lure Aina back to the Premier League. The Nigeria international’s current deal expires in June 2023 and the Yorkshire outfit could wait until the summer in the hope they can get him for free if he doesn’t sign a pre-contract deal anywhere else before then. Aina missed a month of the season before the World Cup started with injury so a move in January seems unlikely while he recovers.

Aina may not be a huge improvement on Leeds’ current squad but is an appealing addition given his versatility. The defender can play across the backline and has also featured further forward, meaning he could be useful if United suffered a number of injuries. The club have struggled in defence this season, with Pascal Struijk currently taking up the left-back role after a disappointing start to the campaign for Junior Firpo.

While the report claims that the Whites are leading the race to sign Aina, Torino are also said to be looking to nail him down to a new contract to ward off any potential interest. The 26-year-old is yet to make any indication that he is open to staying in Serie A and could be open with a return to the Premier League. He is reportedly earning around £30,000-a-week in Turin - less than the likes of Robin Koch, Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling.