Leeds could have Ayling replacement as EPL club will send first-team player on loan

With two weeks left until the January transfer window closes, Leeds United will need to work efficiently to get any deals over the line.

Daniel Farke’s side have already completed a few deals, two of which have seen Djed Spence return to Tottenham – and subsequently be sent on loan to Genoa – and Luke Ayling head to Middlesbrough.

That means the all whites are left a little bit light in the right-back department and, given how much Farke relies on his full-backs to get forward throughout a game, a ready-made replacement is clearly a priority.

Given that the second half of Leeds’ season will consist of a continued push for automatic promotion, whomever comes in as a replacement should ideally have some experience of being able to handle pressure.

With the Championship’s top two, Leicester City and Ipswich Town, playing each other next Monday, Leeds’ fixture against Preston is a perfect chance for the team from Elland Road to put a bit more of a squeeze on those teams above them.

According to The Athletic (subscription required), West Ham’s Ben Johnson has emerged as a potential signing, with the East Londoners thought to be amenable to a loan, providing that they receive a fee.

If Johnson is in place by the weekend, it could strengthen Leeds defensively and help them to push on at a vital stage of the campaign.