Leeds United confirm major signing is close – ‘Different calibre of player’
Leeds United chief Angus Kinnear has confirmed that the club is at “advanced stages” with a number of centre-backs and said the club “will be closing in on one of them soon”.
Asked about Freiburg’s Robin Koch, Kinnear added that Leeds could now attract a “different calibre” of player, with the club back in the Premier League.
Either Ben White or a replacement for him is one of the major transfers that Leeds will make this summer, along with a new forward.
Talking on Sky Sports News shortly after the Premier League fixtures were released (Sky Sports, Thursday, 9.30am), Kinnear said, “Well, Ben had a wonderful season for us last season. He’s a player we rate very highly, we know the fans love him, we think Ben enjoyed his time here.
“We’ve made no secret of the fact that we’d like him here permanently. We also have to be very respectful that he’s a Brighton player, he’s training with them currently and they’re having discussions. I think it will be challenging to make him a Leeds United player.
“If it’s not Ben White we have other options that are at advanced stages and we’ll be closing in on one of them soon.”
In a second interview on BBC Radio Leeds (Thursday, 11.15am), Kinnear was asked about Freiburg centre-back Robin Koch.
He didn’t address Koch directly in reply but did say, “We’re in a good position. People want to play for Leeds United in the Premier League so we can attract a different calibre of player.
“I’m very encouraged with the appeal we seem to have in the market place and that players want to be part of the next chapter in the Leeds United story.
“We’re working hard on it and fans should be confident that we’ve got strong plans in the pipeline.”
Leeds to seal deal for Robin Koch?
Kinnear now needs to back these words up after Brighton confirmed they would be rejecting the third and final bid for White.
It means that Leeds can pull the trigger on the player who most people seem to think is Robin Koch.
The Telegraph first reported that he was the alternative last week and Kinnear didn’t deny Koch was the man when he was asked directly about him by Pope.
Indeed, he talked about a “different calibre of player” and Koch is a Germany international who’s performed at a high level in the Bundesliga.
On the latest episode of the Phil Hay podcast, the Athletic journalist said again that Leeds are very keen on Koch.
It’s really important for Leeds to strike quickly now, with the players currently in pre-season and the Premier League just over three weeks away.
The prospect of facing Liverpool away with just Liam Cooper as a senior centre-back is a scary one but a Cooper/Koch partnership would be a very close second to Cooper/White in our eyes.
The Freiburg defender could be available for just £10.8m according to O Jogo.
It would be a blow to see White line-up for Brighton next season but the near-£15m savings could see another attacker sign. That’s a pretty big consolation.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay: Benrahma could have blown Leeds move after Twitter post; delivers Ollie Watkins update