Leeds United not interested in Atletico Mineiro defender Guilherme Arana
Leeds United are not pursuing a move for Atletico Mineiro left-back Guilherme Arana, according to Ricardo Alencar.
Alencar, who is a journalist at Brazilian media outlet Canal Galotube, has poured cold water on any links to the 24-year-old.
There were reports suggesting that the Whites had tabled a €23million (£19.5million) bid for the Brazil international, but they were quick to be dispelled by the local media.
Via his personal Twitter account, Alencar addressed rumours of a bid being tabled, “According to a source I talked to from within Atletico there is absolutely nothing about Guilherme Arana at Leeds United.”
Need a defender
While Arana is not likely to come to Elland Road in January, as this link seems to be made up, there is a need for Leeds to sign a defender.
Liam Cooper is out injured and Robin Koch has looked shaky on his return from injury.
With Diego Llorente also not at his best, there is a clear lack of quality at the heart of Leeds’ defence.
It’s no surprise that they’re shipping in goals left, right and centre to some of the league’s best teams.
Even playing the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Luke Ayling out of position there does not seem to have worked properly for Marcelo Bielsa.
Arana is a left-back by trade and with Junior Firpo only joining in the summer, we don’t think that there will be any hurry to replace him.
However, a new centre-back has to be the need of the hour along with a central midfielder, or else Leeds face a very real possibility of facing the drop at the end of the season.
In other Leeds United news, a reliable journalist has issued a three-word response to the club’s reported interest in Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley