By support

20th Jul, 2016 | 2:30pm

Leeds close in on seventh summer signing - report

By Alex Taylor

Leeds United are close to ending their search for a new right-back as they prepare to sign free agent Reece Wabara, according to a report.

Football website HITC, citing the July 20th edition of The Sun, claim that the Whites are closing in on a deal for the defender after he was released from Wigan at the end of last season.

Fleetwood Town’s Connor McLaughlin was linked with the position but HITC report The Sun as saying manager Garry Monk regards Wabara as better value-for-money.

If Leeds do sign Wabara, he wiould become their seventh new arrival of the summer – following the additions of Kemar Roofe, Rob Green, Matt Grimes, Marcus Antonsson, Kyle Bartley and Hadi Sacko.

Wabara spent last season helping Wigan get promoted from League One, while he has also represented the likes of Barnsley and Manchester City earlier in his career.

The Englishman came through City’s youth ranks and was a regular in their Elite Development squad and has also had spells at Doncaster and Charlton.

The 24-year-old will be in competition with Gaetano Berardi and Lewie Coyle for a place on the right-hand side of Leeds’ defence, if he does move to Elland Road.

Monk will be hoping to have completed the signing before Leeds’ Championship season gets underway against Queens Park Rangers in just a few weeks time.

In other Leeds news, the Whites became the first club to make an approach to Fleetwood about signing right-back Conor McLaughlin – and their fans took to Twitter to discuss the League One defender.