Leeds United may feel they have sorted out their defence ahead of the Premier League campaign, but the need for more cover at right-back could be a niggle in the back of Adam Underwood’s mind.
Following the end of the 2024-25 season, Leeds have waved goodbye to Max Wober and Junior Firpo. The latter is set to sign for Real Betis, with bureaucratic issues on Firpo’s side preventing confirmation.
Firpo has officially left Leeds on a free, while Max Wober has gone to Werder Bremen on loan. Leeds have sorted this out by bringing in Gabriel Gudmundsson and Sebastiaan Bornauw as their replacements.
Jaka Bijol has also been signed, replacing Pascal Struijk in the starting line-up and ending the need for Ethan Ampadu to drop into defence. Sam Byram has been retained, while Isaac Schmidt is still at Leeds.
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesRight-back could now be swayed by Everton after Leeds talks
Schmidt is ‘open to offers’ after a tricky first season at Leeds and there are doubts that Schmidt and Byram are adequate cover in the Premier League. Leeds may need a player like Vladimir Coufal.
An experienced full-back with huge Premier League know-how, who can play on either side. Graeme Bailey has told LeedsUnited.News that Leeds have held talks to sign 32-year-old right-back Coufal.
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A report from TeamTalk however, says that Coufal could now be tempted to join Everton. Indeed, the right-back could be ‘swayed’ in his decision if close friend Tomas Soucek joins Everton for a £12m fee.
Everton are preparing a bid of £12m to land Soucek from West Ham in a move that would see Soucek reunite with David Moyes. The same could be said for Coufal, if Soucek does end up on Merseyside.
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Vladimir Coufal’s Premier League numbers at West Ham
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Only two of Leeds’ four full-backs have played in the Premier League before. Jayden Bogle for Sheffield United and Byram for Norwich City and Coufal’s recently departed side West Ham, joining from Leeds.
Gudmundsson and Schmidt are yet to play in England’s top tier and of all four full-backs combined at Elland Road, their Premier League experience is still below Coufal’s number of Premier League games.
Coufal’s PL numbers v combined Leeds’ full-backs:
The table above shows how inexperienced Leeds are when it comes to the Premier League at full-back, compared to Coufal. Perhaps it makes sense to bring in a Coufal, but Everton are winning the race.