Noel Whelan suggests Leeds should’ve looked at someone like Shane Duffy

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Noel Whelan told BBC Radio Leeds that Leeds United should have had a look at someone like Shane Duffy before he moved to Celtic on loan this summer.

The Whites have made a pulsating start to the new campaign. They secured their first win of the season at the weekend. However, there are still areas of concern for Marcelo Bielsa to address.

Leeds have already conceded seven goals. And they arguably do not currently have the options to cope with more than one or two injuries.

There is still plenty of time for the Whites to strengthen their ranks before the transfer window closes. And Whelan suggested one player he would have considered to be an ideal candidate to come in.

Unfortunately, he is also a player who has already been on the move during this window.

“Experience is invaluable, especially when you’ve got a side that’s so young. And I’m all for buying young players. I know [Robin] Koch’s an international. But somebody that knows a little bit more about the Premier League, somebody that is a little bit cuter, a little bit smarter, maybe a little bit more aggressive. But we know that Marcelo Bielsa likes a certain kind of player,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.

“The lad who’s just gone to Celtic, he scored two goals in two games,” he went on to add. “Someone like him, he’s not a glamorous sort of player who’s going to be like [Liam] Cooper and drive out with the ball and Ben White. But how many people are? It’s about defending and defending well.”

TBR View: Too early to judge Leeds’s defence

The numbers are concerning. However, there are a number of factors that have to be taken into consideration before any of the club’s defenders come in for criticism.

Koch was given the daunting task of making his debut at Anfield having arrived late on in the summer. And alongside him in that game was a player who had never started a league game for Leeds at centre-back in Pascal Struijk.

So the 4-3 win over Fulham on Saturday saw Koch and Cooper play alongside each other for the first time.

You could understand why Whelan wishes Leeds had targeted someone like Duffy. He boasts plenty of Premier League experience.

But Bielsa seems highly unlikely to sign a player who does not seamlessly adapt to the side’s style of play. So it will be very interesting to see if they manage to add to their ranks before the window closes.