Report: Premier League club to hijack Leeds move for Taylor replacement
By Harvey Byrne
West Ham are weighing up a swoop for Walsall defender Rico Henry that would blow Leeds out of the water, according to a report.
Hammers site TheWestHamWay claims that the east Londoners are eyeing a move for the England Under-19 international.
As reported on Football Insider Leeds have targeted the 19-year-old defender as a replacement for Charlie Taylor if he was to depart from the club.
However, it is believed that the Olympic Stadium outfit allowed young midfielder George Dobson to join the League One club on loan in order to sign Henry from Walsall.
The 19-year-old made the left-back position his own at Walsall last season, notching up 44 appearances and has rapidly established himself as one of the most exciting prospects in the Football League.
The Saddlers are under no pressure to sell Henry though, with two years still remaining on the pacy full-back's contract.
The England under-19 international has attracted scouts from Liverpool and Arsenal, and could become Monk's seventh signing if Taylor decides to leave the Yorkshire giant.
According to owner Massimo Cellino, the problem lies with Taylor's agent who is the same as that of another Leeds academy graduate Sam Byram.
The former Cagliari owner had difficulty negotiating with him and subsequently was a main factor in Byram's move to West Ham in January.
In other Leeds news, the Whites on-off pursuit of Joel Ekstrand has been reignited.