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'Going Down' - Exclusive: Top pundit reacts to surprise Leeds transfer plans
Leeds United are in danger of “going down” if they do not fix their defence.
That is the view of Alan Hutton, former Aston Villa, Rangers and Spurs stalwart, speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams about a potential swoop for Reading’s Michael Olise as well as the Adama Traore link.
Football Insider first revealed Leeds’ interest in Olise last August and they are continuing to watch him closely, while the Sun claim that Traore is on United’s radar.
Either of the speedsters would surely add another exhilarating dimension to Leeds’ attack, but Bielsa’s side have the second-worst goals-conceded record in the division and their main focus should be on shoring things up at the back, according to Alan Hutton.
He told Football Insider: “I’d be more worried about my backline than these forward-thinking players.
“We know what Adama Traore can bring you – he’s pacy, he’s intelligent he’s a willing runner. The same goes for Michael Olise.
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“You’re always mindful of burnout. I know they train very hard, they play at 100 miles per hour. You will need reinforcements.
“But for me, it’s the backline. I looked at it the other day and Ayling was playing a centre-half and he’s a right-back. Allioski, who’s a winger, was playing at left-back. Dallas playing as a midfielder. I’d be more worried about that.
“They’re conceding a lot of goals, a lot of goals from corner kicks. I would want to shore up the defence first because you can play the best football and you can attack, attack, attack, but if you’re conceding that many goals you’ll end up going down. That’s the way the Premier League is.”
Leeds have had to navigate an injury crisis in their first season back in the Premier League for 16 years, which has not at all helped their defensive woes.
Summer signings Robin Kock and Diego Llorente have been joined by Liam Cooper in the treatment room in recent weeks, with Leeds’ forced to field a patchwork – and porous defence – in their place.
In other news, a top pundit has called a Leeds United utility man “amazing” for the role he has played in recent weeks.