Where Leeds United could turn next if Shea Charles 'hope' falls through

Leeds United are putting plenty of eggs in the Shea Charles basket.

The Whites have seen multiple bids for the Northern Irishman rejected as they look to add midfield reinforcements.

By a long distance, the Southampton star looks to be Daniel Farke's current priority at Elland Road.

But, the question must be asked. What happens if that pursuit ultimately fails?

As things stand, talks for Charles are still ongoing and the timeline for when Leeds hope for a resolution has been shared.

But, that should also mean that Leeds begin to prepare for every possible outcome from those discussions.

What other midfielder could Leeds target?

Leeds must be prepared for the worst-case scenario where a deal for Charles cannot be had.

Leeds have held positive talks with Southampton over Charles as per the Daily Mail, and the Whites 'hope' that the outcome of those talks could be reached after this weekend.

However, if they continue to be at odds with Southampton over the right terms of a deal, they may need to look elsewhere.

When it comes to defensive midfield options, Leeds have not been flush with links.

Jordan James is one midfielder who has been linked by Birmingham World and he would arrive in a cheaper deal than Charles.

The Welshman has been followed by the Peacocks for quite some time, with links dating back to 2024.

Meanwhile, reports in Italy continously link Leeds with Mandela Keita. However, English sources have downplayed the interest in the Belgian.

Overall, there is certainly not many options currently in the public for the Whites, but they will likely have their own in-house shortlist.

Is midfield even a priority for Leeds?

There could always be the case that the arrival of Charles is seen as a luxury and a market opportunity for Leeds.

As things stand, the centre of the pitch is not exactly the biggest priority.

Ao Tanaka, Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, Ilia Gruev and Sean Longstaff are all at the club.

Additionally, Brenden Aaronsen has been used in a slightly deeper role than the number 10 position.

So, Farke has plenty of midfielders and it looks to simply be the case that Charles is a profile he believes adds something different.

If a deal is not reached, it would not be a surprise to see the Whites to decide to stick rather than twist.