Leeds United scouts at Brentford v Plymouth, defender deal now on cards
Leeds United are interested in a deal for Plymouth Argyle defender Bali Mumba after sending scouts to watch him at the weekend, according to LeedsUnited.News.
The online news outlet reports [13 January] that recruitment staff were in attendance for Argyle’s surprise FA Cup win at Brentford on Saturday (11 January), with Mumba keeping a clean sheet at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Leeds also advanced to the fourth round having beaten Harrogate Town and will face either Millwall or Dagenham & Redbridge, while Argyle’s upset earns them a tie with Liverpool.
The former England Under-19s star could be an option for Daniel Farke in the January window, with Leeds potentially preparing to test Plymouth’s resolve despite the manager playing down too much market activity.
Leeds United plotting bid for Bali Mumba?
Farke knows Mumba very well, first and foremost – which could make this deal easier if Leeds are able to navigate the hurdle of paying Plymouth a sizeable enough fee to dispense with their full-back.
The defender joined Norwich City, then managed by the German, back in 2020 from hometown club Sunderland and went on to establish himself at Argyle following an initial successful loan.
Mumba is now a regular in the Championship and has been in the game for a considerable time despite his young age of 23. He made his Sunderland debut aged just 16 in the 2017-18 campaign.
Leeds may be appealed by Mumba’s athleticism and versatility from defence to the wide areas. After all, the club have Jayden Bogle, Sam Byram and Isaac Schmidt in their ranks alongside Junior Firpo, whose future remains uncertain.
The diminutive full-back is under contract at Home Park until the summer of 2027, keeping Plymouth in a strong position, though the two clubs maintain a healthy relationship with Darko Gyabi currently performing on loan down in Devon.
In other Leeds news, a Whites striker takes another major step closer to leaving Elland Road.
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