The risk of losing your best players to better teams is always a scare during the transfer window. In football, it is perfectly acceptable, and it has got nothing to do with club loyalty. For the right price and motivation, a player, especially one with talent and age on his side, will gladly move to greener pastures.
And that could well be the case for Leeds United’s Charlie Taylor this summer. Stoke City, Liverpool and West Brom are among those that have shown interest in the 22-year-old attacking left-back. The Leeds Fans’ Player of the Year has just one year left on his current contract and has signalled his intention to continue his career elsewhere by rejecting any contract extensions offered to keep him at Elland Road. If he does indeed exit the Gary Monk-led side, here are 3 ideal players the White Peacocks can consider bringing in to fill his shoes.
2Joe Jacobson
A more short term option for Leeds is Wycombe Wanderers’ 29-year-old left back, Joe Jacobsen. Monk is likely to prefer a younger candidate with the potential to become a real star, but Jacobsen’s experience and quality mean he should certainly be considered as a last resort if nothing else. He was excellent as he helped his side maintain their League Two status last season, and his string of fine performances also saw him earn a spot in his league’s team of the year.
With a decade of football experience to his name, the Welsh full-back has proven to be somewhat of a late bloomer, and can be a solid replacement for Taylor. He is renowned for his strength and tough tackles, and given that he will be free to sign, the Cardiff City youth product is a risk worth taking.