Report: Leeds United join Derby and Stoke in race for Harold Moukoudi

Add as preferred source on Google

Leeds United are set to battle Derby County and Stoke City to sign Saint-Etienne centre-back Harold Moukoudi, according to L’Equipe.

The Championship trio are all looking for defensive reinforcements and the 22-year-old is thought to be on the radar.

The Rams and Stoke have had loan bids rejected for the highly-rated player who plays for the team managed by ex-Premier League boss Claude Puel.

A new report from the Daily Star claims that the ex-Southampton boss isn’t keen on letting his defender leave this month.

Moukoudi has played 15 times this season and the Frenchman wants to keep him around the club.

According to Who Scored, Moukoudi has a pass success ratio of 86.8% for this season, highlighting his qualities at playing out from the back.

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa likes his defenders to be able to play and with Ben White only on loan, signing another one makes perfect sense.

Given Leeds’ promotion credentials, it would seem they are in a nicer position ahead of Stoke and Derby.

Of course, it would appear that Puel would need to change his mind over loaning out his defender for a deal to take place this month.

TBR View – Landing a central defender almost as important to Leeds as a striker

Much has been made of the Whites signing a striker this month.

Last season, however, it was an injury to central defender Pontus Jansson that scuppered their promotion chances.

Gaetano Berardi’s sending-off in the play-off semi-final against Derby eventually ended their chances and they can’t afford for the same to happen again.

Ben White and Liam Cooper have been rock solid this season but an injury to either could be seriously detrimental.

If Bielsa’s recruitment team could tempt Saint-Etienne into changing their stance, he could represent a solid signing for the club.