Premier League newcomers Leeds United are targeting a move for Leicester City defender James Justin this summer.
According to Sebastien Vidal, Daniel Farke admires the versatility of the 27-year-old and feels he will provide a reliable option in his Leeds squad.
Having been relegated to the Championship last season with the Foxes, the potential move to West Yorkshire could offer Justin an opportunity to reignite his top-flight career.
Leeds United Continue to Reinforce Defensive Options
It has already been a hectic summer in the transfer market at Elland Road, with a particular emphasis seemingly placed on acquiring proven defenders.
So far, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Jaka Bijol, and Sebastian Bornauw have all joined the Leeds United ranks this preseason.
Keen to learn from his two previous relegations from the Premier League as a manager, Daniel Farke has been definitive in assembling his squad.
Having bolstered their defensive armoury with a series of incomings, the Whites are keen to add recent Premier League experience with their pursuit of Justin.
How has James Justin Performed at Leicester City?
Justin first arrived in the East Midlands in 2019, joining from Luton Town. He has since gone on to make 167 appearances in all competitions for the Foxes.
While separate ACL injuries have unfortunately hampered his career at the King Power Stadium, he has enjoyed some special times.
He was part of the squad that lifted the 2020/21 FA Cup at Wembley and the group to win the Championship title in 2024.
Justin’s ability to operate effectively on both sides of the backline has ensured he remains an integral cog in the Leicester team.
With the club under new management in the shape of Martí Cifuentes, anticipation is growing over what Leicester can achieve this coming season. Despite the threat of a points deduction looming large, they are one of the clubs fancied to challenge.
Justin currently earns around £30k-a-week under his current contract, but the man capped once by England is likely to be tempted by a Premier League reprieve.
Leeds Target Premier League Stability
Such is the nature of the Premier League beast; teams that achieve promotion to the top tier are almost promised an uphill task to survive.
The record of the previous two seasons promoted sides means that Leeds United were the last team to achieve some form of security.
Having lasted three seasons after their last promotion, Leeds will hope to draw upon these largely positive experiences this time around.
The signing of Sean Longstaff seems a particularly astute piece of business, due to his vast range of wisdom. He is a midfielder who has lived through the very best and very worst of top-flight football during his Newcastle career.
The passionate Leeds faithful can look forward to cheering on an exciting blend of new faces and the crop of players that fired them to last season’s Championship title.
As the James Justin chase intensifies, it’s clear that the Leeds summer transfer negotiations are far from over.
