Leeds United’s failure to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt left them vulnerable to clubs coming in to poach their top talent.
The Whites have already cashed in on teenage sensation Archie Gray, who completed a transfer to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
Central midfielder Glen Kamara has also moved on from Elland Road, after one year in West Yorkshire, to sign for Ligue 1 outfit Rennes on a permanent deal.
Academy graduate Charlie Cresswell completed a permanent move away from the club earlier in the summer to join Toulouse and Leeds are now reportedly keen on a defender who could brilliantly replace him.
Leeds pursuing deal for versatile ace
According to Football Insider, Leeds are pursuing a deal to sign PEC Zwolle enforcer Anselmo MacNulty before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Whites have already made initial contact with the Dutch club to see what it would take to secure his services ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
It states that the club are in the market to add another left-back to their squad and that MacNulty, who was hailed as “physically strong” by former Zwolle director Marcel Boudesteyn, has emerged as an option for them.
Football Insider does not, though, reveal whether or not Zwolle are prepared to sell the Ireland U21 international or how much they would want for him.
Leeds must now press ahead to get a deal done for the Irish defender as he could brilliantly replace Cresswell by providing versatile cover across the backline.
Why MacNulty would brilliantly replace Cresswell
Firstly, MacNulty has played the majority of his career matches as a central defender and this means that he can easily slot in to the left-sided centre-back role.
Cresswell was only used as a back-up in that position last season, with five Championship appearances, and was kept in case of emergencies at the back, which is how the Irishman could be utilised at the heart of the defence.
Where the Zwolle star could come in and offer more than the England U21 international, however, is his ability to play on the flank as a left-back, which means that he could provide vital cover in multiple positions.
| 23/24 Eredivisie |
Anselmo MacNulty |
| Appearances |
31 |
| Tackles + interceptions per game |
3.6 |
| Ball recoveries per game |
3.6 |
| Error led to goal/shot |
0 |
| Ground duel success rate |
55% |
| Aerial duel success rate |
63% |
| Stats via Sofascore |
As you can see in the table above, MacNulty enjoyed a fantastic season as a defensive presence at the back in the Eredivisie with his ability to make multiple interventions per game to win possession back for his side.
He won the majority of his physical duels, on the deck and in the air, and did not make any direct errors that led to a shot or a goal for the opposition, which speaks to his reliability as an out-and-out defender.
Therefore, MacNulty could be a sublime option for Daniel Farke to bring in as a versatile defensive option to make up for the cover that was lost when Cresswell was sold to Toulouse.
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