Sources: Leeds United open talks to sign O'Brien
Leeds United have opened talks over signing Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O'Brien, Football Insider can exclusively reveal.
The Yorkshire giants have turned their attention to the 22-year-old after losing out to Crystal Palace to take Conor Gallagher on loan from Chelsea.
A Leeds source has told Football Insider that preliminary discussions have taken place over a potential deal for O'Brien.
Huddersfield will demand a significant price for their prize asset, who has graduated from the academy ranks to become a star player.
But O'Brien is out of contract at the Terriers next year, even though they have the option to extend that deal by 12 months.
Leeds have been tracking O'Brien's progress for some time and he was closely watched last season.
United are in the market for a central midfielder who can provide cover and competition for the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Mateusz Klich and Stuart Dallas.
Adam Forshaw has made his long-awaited return to first-team football after two years of injury hell but Marcelo Bielsa will be wary of placing too many demands on him.
Leeds' priorities in the final weeks of the window are signing a winger and central midfielder for the first team.
They are finalising their third major signing of the summer with the capture of goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson from Valerenga.
He will follow the earlier arrivals of Jack Harrison and Junior Firpo as well as a host of starlets.