'Probably the best at the club' - Luke Ayling makes startling revelation about Leeds United team-mate Pascal Struijk

In hailing the the abilities of the 21-year-old former Netherlands youth player, Ayling also says Struijk's range of passing with both feet is probably the best at the club.

Struijk could well bag what will still only be his fourth league start for Leeds in Monday night's Premier League hosting of Wolves with fellow centre-backs Diego Llorente and Liam Cooper both carrying groin injuries.

The duo both picked up the knocks on international duty with Spanish international Llorente definitely forced out of the Wolves clash and facing up to three weeks out.

It was thought that Scotland international Cooper could return within a fortnight but Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa has said his captain is "at risk" of missing Monday night's contest and Ayling says that Struijk is now probably the club's fourth choice centre-back.

Ayling himself also has played plenty of games at the heart of the Whites defence and the 29-year-old says he is more than ready to switch over if needed but the Whites right back has full faith in Struijk as both a centre-half and a centre-midfielder.

Struijk was also deployed as a holding midfielder at the back end of last season when Kalvin Phillips was injured and Ayling told BBC Radio Leeds: "I think he can play in both positions equally as good.

"He came in last season when Kavin got injured and did unbelievable and then got chucked in at the end of the season after not really training much at centre mid.

"But his range of passing with both feet is probably the best at the club, honestly.

"Both feet he can ping a ball 40/50 yards and it's pretty impressive to be honest.

"He can do that role that Kalvin has got or he is big enough and strong enough to play centre-half, that's no doubt.

"He will get better playing at centre-half the more he plays there as it's a position where the more games you play there the more manly you become and the quicker you think and that.

"He's probably fourth choice centre-half at a Premier League club and it's brilliant."

Struijk already has a Premier League start under his belt with the Belgian-born footballer playing the full match of United's season opener at champions Liverpool next to summer recruit Robin Koch at centre-back with Cooper injured and Llorente not yet signed.

Asked if he was ready to shift over to play at centre-back himself if required and had been working on the position in training, Ayling said: "No. In this week I have not changed anything.

"But if I am asked to play centre-half then I am more than happy to do it.

"I'm more than comfortable in there, that's something I have done many times for the boss here so I have got no problems sliding in there if needs be.

"But Pascal came in the first game of the season against the champions away at Liverpool and did so well so he is there if needs be as well."

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Thank you Laura Collins