Football League World
·12 March 2024
Leeds United join Arsenal, Man Utd in race for Bundesliga defender
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Football League World
·12 March 2024
Leeds United are keeping a watching brief on Borussia Monchengladbach left-back Luca Netz, according to an update from Give Me Sport.
The Whites' recruitment team will be preparing for life in the Premier League and the Championship, with Daniel Farke's side climbing into the top two but nowhere near reaching their target which is automatic promotion.
With nine league games still to go and the likes of Ipswich Town and Southampton also in the race to secure a top-two finish, Leeds could easily fall back into the play-offs and that's something key recruitment figures behind the scenes will be wary of.
But if they do return to the top flight, something that seems very possible at this stage, they will need to invest a high amount in their squad to give themselves the best chance of keeping themselves in the top flight.
Spending money wisely is key though, with Burnley spending a huge amount back in the summer but not seeing that pay dividends for them.
Getting value for money won't just help them to remain at the top level if they get there, but it will also maximise their chances of continuing to abide by financial rules, something that will be crucial if they don't want to be the victims of any sanctions including points deductions.
Netz, who is only 20 at this stage, is attracting plenty of interest.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are also thought to be keeping tabs on the player, but Give Me Sport have also added that it's unclear how serious the Gunners' interest is at this point.
Mikel Arteta has plenty of players who can play at left-back if required, including Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Jurrien Timber, when the latter is fit.
But it could be Leeds who end up making a move for Netz, but whether they end up making a bid is likely to depend on whether they are promoted at the end of the season.
At 20, Netz already has plenty of experience in the Bundesliga and that is a promising sign.
That should mean that he's able to make the step to the English top flight with Leeds if he moves to Elland Road.
He would be a much-needed addition too, with Sam Byram not guaranteed to stay fit and Junior Firpo not always performing brilliantly for the West Yorkshire side.
An upgrade will certainly be needed and Netz could be the ideal addition, not just because of his top-tier experience, but also because of the fact he's only 20 and should only improve with more experience.
With Netz on one side and Archie Gray potentially on the other, those are two very talented young assets who could be sold on for ridiculous amounts in the future.