Anthony Onifade

Sat 3 June 2023 13:10, UK

Leeds United are interested in signing Swansea City defender Ryan Manning this summer and the Whites may have finally found their perfect solution at left-back.

The Republic of Ireland international recently won the Player of the Year award with the Swans but is set to leave the Welsh club this summer when his contract expires.

According to Football League World, Leeds were considering a move for the Irishman this summer regardless of the division they found themselves in, and given their long-running issues at left-back, it is a move which desperately must be explored.

And according to a latest report in the Swansea Independent [31 May], the defender has his heart set on a move to Elland Road, despite their fall to the Championship.

“Manning has his eyes on a potential move to Leeds United but has yet to agree any terms and has his sights on the premier league.

“Both [Manning and Joel Latibeaudiere] are in a strong position and will move in the next few weeks.

“Up front, they will cost nothing bar big signing-on fees”, the report reveals.

Despite the club’s fall from grace, it is encouraging that they able to still attract some highly-rated names in the market and Manning is certainly one of them given his extraordinary campaign in the Championship.

The left-back position has become a long-running conundrum for Leeds United ever since the Marcelo Bielsa era and it’s a problem which reared its ugly head on a number of occasions this season, with Junior Firpo and Pascal Struijk both struggling to nail down the position in a defence that shipped 78 goals.

The need to strengthen at left-back is a desperate one and in Manning, the Whites could potentially kill two birds with one stone, not only providing the quality that Firpo and Struijk have lacked but also providing Leeds United with the capabilities to be tactically flexible.

In 43 appearances in the Championship, the 26-year-old registered an impressive five goals and ten assists from left-back, earning a superb 7.26 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Dubbed “outstanding” by his club manager Russell Martin, the Irish international registered a whopping 14 big chances created, 2.5 key passes per game to go along with his ten assists. He’s also incredibly capable towards his own goal – something Struijk and Firpo have struggled at considerably – averaging 1.3 interceptions and 2.0 tackles per game whilst winning an impressive 65% ground duels and 58% of his aerial duels [SofaScore].

His marauding runs from left-back coupled with his final third imagination and creativity could prove an invaluable weapon for Leeds United, something they’ve missed for too long and imagine the lengths Manning could reach should the Whites transition into a wing-back formation in a hugely expansive system – that will depend on who the club bring into to replace Allardyce in the coming weeks.

But for now, Manning is available on a free transfer and has his heart set on a move to Elland Road. Leeds United can only work on the things they can control right now, and adding the 26-year-old to the Thorp Arch roster is an absolute no-brainer.

In other Leeds United news, the Whites want to sign one 13-goal forward this summer after an impressive European season.