Leeds has received a clear message about the defender they desire.
This month, Daniel Farke and Leeds United must strengthen at right-back. Djed Spence has returned to parent club Tottenham Hotspur midway through what was supposed to be a season-long loan stay, while Luke Ayling has joined Middlesbrough till the end of the season. If the vacancy remains unfilled, Farke may be concerned about falling short as he attempts to guide his team to promotion from the Championship.
West Ham make their opinion on Johnson clear.
According to The Daily Mail, West Ham prefer to sell Leeds target Johnson rather than loan him out. The player has refused a new contract offer, and his present terms are set to expire in the summer, putting pressure on the Irons to cash in rather than lose him for free.
Furthermore, West Ham are aware that the funds from the potential sale might be used to sign a new attacking player, which is on the agenda at the London Stadium in the coming weeks. Leeds‘ interest is genuine, but they have yet to make a “official approach,” therefore the 49ers will need to come up with the cash quickly, since Sheffield United and Scottish Premiership championship contenders Rangers are also monitoring his situation.
Johnson has an edge over Williams and Roberts.
Former West Ham great Trevor Sinclair has previously described Johnson, a two-time winner of West Ham‘s young player of the year award, as “superb,” but is he the ideal fit for Farke?
He has only made two Premier League games under David Moyes this season, one of which came from the start, but a few of Leeds‘ other top-flight targets are also falling behind. Nottingham Forest‘s Neco Williams has only started four games, and Burnley‘s Connor Roberts hasn’t appeared since late October. The table below compares the players based on their experience, one-on-one defending, and attacking output, all of which are undoubtedly important factors in Leeds’ hunt.
Despite the variance in appearances, they are all in the same bracket for starts and are broadly aligned in terms of minutes. Williams shines out coming forward, and while he has won the most tackles, Johnson has easily the best success rate. As an all-rounder, he may have an advantage over the other two, and most importantly, he is transferable. The major question today is how much West Ham will expect and whether that is within Leeds‘ mid-season market budget.
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