By Noel Whelan

9th Jul, 2019 | 7:00am

‘Leeds will be looking at him’ – Whelan urges Bielsa to sign ‘Perfect’ Cahill

EXCLUSIVE

Noel Whelan has urged Leeds United to take advantage of Gary Cahill’s availability to sign him this window.

The centre-back, 33, was released by Chelsea at the end of last month to bring to an end a glittering seven-and-a-half year spell at the club.

Cahill has been linked with a move to Aston Villa but ex-Leeds striker Whelan in convinced the defender’s pedigree and experience could more than make up for the departure yesterday of Pontus Jansson.

The Sweden international has been sold to Brentford for £5.5million plus-adds after he became the third Leeds centre-back to leave in a week along with youngsters Aapo Halme and Liam Kitching.

“Leeds have to go into the market now,” Whelan told Football Insider. “We are three centre-backs short and have only brought one in, Ben White.

“Gary Cahill would be great. Leeds will be looking at him. I certainly would be if I was Marcelo Bielsa. He’d be perfect for us.

“He’s a leader, has excellent experience at the top level, a really good defender, dominant in both penalty boxes, and would be good in the dressing room.

“It’s certainly possible if we could sort the wages out. The advantage is that there would be no transfer fee involved, so that would make it a great short-term deal.”

Cahill is a free agent following his exit from Chelsea, where he was a key player for most of his time and accumulated 290 appearances for the club as well as winning eight major trophies, including the Champions League.

The former Villa, Burnley and Sheffield United defender made only eight appearances last season and was barely involved in the second half of the campaign.

In the latest Leeds United news, it can be REVEALED that a £6million-valued Elland Road attacker has been given just a few days to find a new club.