Sheffield United and Preston submit 'loan proposals' for Leeds United target left out of Premier League squad

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Leeds United are thought to hold an interest in the Chelsea academy star.

Leeds United-linked defender Alfie Gilchrist is set to make a decision on his future in the coming days after receiving ‘loan proposals’ from two Championship clubs.

Gilchrist has been informed he is free to leave Chelsea on loan this summer, with new manager Enzo Maresca deeming him surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge. The 20-year-old is among a handful of squad members who will not travel to the United States for pre-season and a temporary move away is expected to materialise in the coming weeks.

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There has been plenty of Championship interest in Gilchrist all summer, with Leeds among a number of clubs thought to be weighing up a loan move for the versatile defender. But Fabrizio Romano now reports that Sheffield United and Preston North End have turned said interest into a formal proposal.

Posting on X, Romano said: “Alfie Gilchrist has received two loan proposals from Preston and Sheffield United. He’s leaving Chelsea on loan, not travelling to US pre season tour as he will decide fav [sic] destination in the next days.”

Leeds were linked with interest in Gilchrist earlier this summer, although claims that talks had begun were wide of the mark. The YEP understands he was among a number of defensive targets, with those in charge at Elland Road weighing up other options before pulling the trigger on any signing.

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That trigger was eventually pulled on Saturday evening, with Leeds opting to find a permanent solution to the right-back issue left by Archie Gray’s £40million move to Tottenham Hotspur. Jayden Bogle was announced as the man to fill that gap, with the 23-year-old putting pen to paper on a four-year contract after a £5m deal was agreed with Sheffield United.

Having lost Bogle to Leeds - a move Chris Wilder admitted he was disappointed by - Sheffield United are now in need of a starting option at right-back and with the takeover process still ongoing at Bramall Lane, they have mostly been limited to low-cost moves. Similarly, Preston are in the market for defensive reinforcements but have not got the budget to spend big.

It remains to be seen whether Bogle’s arrival has ended Leeds’ interest in Gilchrist but the club are certainly in a better place defensively than they were when links first surfaced. Alongside Bogle, manager Daniel Farke will be able to call on Max Wober after confirming the Austrian is expected to play a part in next season’s plans, while Joe Rodon’s loan has since been made permanent in a deal worth £10m. Academy prospect James Debayo also looks to have made a positive impression during the early weeks of pre-season.

Gilchrist does look set for a move to the Championship though and will likely be walking out at Elland Road, only for the opposing team. More clarity over who that will be with is expected in the coming days.

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