Development: Leeds now very hopeful of signing "underrated" £17m colossus

Leeds United are now very hopeful they will be able to lure “one of the most underrated defenders in Europe” to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.

Leeds looking to improve their defence

Leeds will know all too well the importance of having a strong defence in the Premier League, having suffered relegation to the Championship after shipping the most goals in the top flight in the 2022-23 campaign, and they have now set out to bolster their options at the back.

Indeed, the Whites have identified a number of defensive targets, while they have also set out to bring in a new goalkeeper, given that Illan Meslier infamously made a number of high-profile errors last season.

The likes of Pope, O’Shea and Tanganga have experience in the Premier League, which could be of key significance when it comes to avoiding the drop next season, but Daniel Farke has also set his sights on adding a Serie A defender to his ranks.

That is according to a report from The Yorkshire Evening Post, which states Leeds are now very hopeful of signing Udinese centre-back Jaka Bijol, given that Premier League football is set to be on offer at Elland Road.

Farke already has a number of options at centre-back, but departures are said to be inevitable, with Max Wober deemed the most likely to leave, although cashing in on Pascal Struijk could be an attractive proposition from a PSR point of view.

Previous reports have revealed Udinese would be looking to receive a fee of around £17m for Bijol, which should be affordable for a club that is now back in the Premier League.

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Bijol could be among Europe’s most “underrated” defenders

It would be fair to say journalist Bence Bocsak doesn’t believe the Udinese defender gets the respect he deserves, given his talent, having described the Leeds target as “one of the most underrated defenders in Europe” after impressing at Euro 2024.

The Slovenian is aerially dominant, placing in the 93rd percentile for aerials won per 90 over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs, while he has previously proven himself to be a threat in the opposition area on occasion.

The 6-foot-3 colossus could be a solid signing for Leeds this summer, and £17m feels like a fair fee, given that Bijol has impressed at international level, while also remaining a key player for Udinese throughout the 2024-25 campaign, making 37 appearances in all competitions.