Seb Ecrivain Foot reports that Leeds United has begun negotiations to recruit West Ham defender Ben Johnson this month.
After allowing Djed Spence and Luke Ayling to depart the team previously, the LBCDS journalist writes on his own Twitter account on January 13 that the Whites are keen to sign the Hammers star.
Additionally, Johnson’s contract at the London Stadium is slated to expire at the end of the current campaign, and conversations regarding a possible departure are now underway.
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He wrote, “Leeds is keenly interested in West Ham’s defender, Ben Johnson.”
“Discussions about a potential move are ongoing.”
Being a highly experienced player who is still developing professionally is an extremely rare combination that usually works best for a Championship club.
Since his “absolutely brilliant” breakthrough in 2021, the player has been itching for regular first-team action; however, under David Moyes, he is currently behind Vladimir Coufal in the pecking order.
This might be the Hammers’ last chance to cash in on him because his contract with the team is about to expire. Leeds could jump at the chance to sign him for a cheap deal that would significantly improve the team and add some experience.
It’s unclear if the player would be amenable to coming to the Championship, but he will be aware that Leeds is a team that is actively pursuing promotion, and he may believe that his presence might make the difference in Leeds’ rapid return to the Premier League.
It would be a great signing if Daniel Farke can pull it done, so keep an eye on this in the upcoming days and weeks until the window closes.
In related transfer updates:
David Prutton shares ‘breaking the bank’ Leeds United January transfer verdict as Luke Ayling news emerges
Following Luke Ayling’s Elland Road departure, David Prutton has said that he doesn’t anticipate Leeds United “breaking the bank” for a new full-back during the January transfer window.
The 32-year-old defender’s time with the Whites appears to be coming to an end after he completed a loan move to Middlesbrough, where he will remain until the conclusion of the campaign, when his Elland Road contract expires.
Daniel Farke now has less defensive alternatives due to Ayling’s departure and the decision to send Djed Spence back to Tottenham, but Prutton, host of Sky Sports, doubts Leeds would shell out a lot of money to recruit a new full-back.
“The exits of Spence and Ayling have left Leeds with four full-backs in Sam Byram, Junior Firpo, Jamie Shackleton, and Archie Grey, and the latter duo are natural midfielders,” he wrote in a January 13 article for the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“You need to be aware of Junior Firpo’s and Sam Byram’s injury history. I don’t mean this in a negative manner, but I believe it’s fair to argue that on the pitch, Firpo owes Leeds a run in the team, and his unhappiness will be about not being able to play as much as he has done.
“Sam is a highly dependable man in that position once he does play. We are well aware of Archie’s situation, and Jamie Shackleton is another. Fair enough, if a suitably large player becomes available or if you manage to bring in a Premier League loanee.
“But I’m not assuming Leeds will spend a fortune on a full-back from the outside looking in.”
It won’t break the bank
In a perfect scenario, Leeds United would sign at least one new full-back before the January transfer window ends since, as Prutton points out, they now only have four players on the field—two of whom are more suited as midfielders than full-backs.
All four of them have performed well so far this season when healthy and available, but it doesn’t guarantee that they can continue to play well in the second half of the schedule.
Nevertheless, Leeds cannot afford to just throw money at the issue, and finding a player to replace the current Elland Road choices will not be simple. The cost of such a deal will be high, but the Whites are not likely to go broke, as Prutton previously mentioned.
It’s possible that Farke will receive a Premier League loan or an unexpected alternative before the end of the month, but for the second half of the season, it is quite likely that the Whites will stick with their current lineup.