Graham Smyth shares what he’s been told about strong Fikayo Tomori-Leeds speculation
Leeds United have been strongly linked with a move to sign defender Fikayo Tomori from Chelsea in recent days.
Last month, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook reported that Leeds had “expressed an interest” in the 23-year-old Stamford Bridge outcast while more recently, BBC Sport has reported that Elland Road is the likeliest destination for him this month.
However, if you had your hopes up about signing Tomori, prepare to have them crushed.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth was asked if there are legs to the rumours linking Tomori with a move to Leeds.
Smyth, writing via his personal Twitter account on Wednesday, simply replied by saying: “I’m told no.”
No first-team additions this month?
Leeds have a centre-back crisis at the moment with Liam Cooper, Diego Llorente and Robin Koch all injured.
Luke Ayling and Pascal Struijk have done their best while filling in at the centre of the defence but one is naturally a right-back while the other is still very inexperienced.
If Leeds were going to sign anyone this month, it would surely be a proven Premier League centre-back on loan just to plug the current gaps in the squad.
Tomori fits the bill but Bielsa simply doesn’t like signing players in January – when are journalists going to learn this?
Kiko Casilla is the only permanent addition to the senior squad under Bielsa’s watch at Leeds while the less said about Jean-Kevin Augustin’s loan move to Elland Road last January, the better.
Leeds do have the option to sign another Premier League player on loan this month but Bielsa demands a lot from new signings.
They need to have way fitter than they currently are, they need to be 100 per cent up to speed with his tactics and they need to be better than what he already has.
You’d imagine that by the time Tomori met those requirements, his loan spell would be over or players like Cooper and Llorente will have returned to full fitness.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have discussed a stunning move for this Real Madrid contract rebel.