According to TEAMtalk (h/t Leeds Live), Leeds United are keeping tabs on Arsenal defender Calum Chambers, who is expected to depart North London this summer.
It has been reported that the Gunners are prepared to accept offers of around £12million for the versatile star, with Mikel Arteta eyeing up a defensive reshuffle.
Fellow newcomers Fulham have also been linked with a move for Chambers, who spent the 2018-19 campaign on loan at Craven Cottage in the Premier League. (TEAMtalk h/t Leeds Live)
However, as per the source, Whites director of football Victor Orta is confident of securing a deal for Chambers, having previously signed him on loan at Middlesbrough back in 2016-17.
Calum Chambers rose through the youth ranks of Southampton and shot to prominence in the Premier League with the Saints before departing for Arsenal back in the summer of 2014.
Despite joining the Gunners as a highly-rated prospect, Chambers has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter for the club. That’s partly due to stiff competition for places, while the 25-year-old’s consistency has often been called into question too.
The former Southampton man spent time on loan at Middlesbrough and Fulham, with both spells ending in relegation from the Premier League. Chambers made 18 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal last season before a dreadful injury marked a premature end to his campaign.
Leeds United’s tally of just 35 goals conceded in 46 league games last season was the best defensive record in the EFL Championship. The first-choice central defensive pairing of Ben White and Liam Cooper looked almost impenetrable at times, while Gaetano Berardi also played his part perfectly as a back-up.
White has been linked with a permanent transfer to Elland Road following his successful loan spell in West Yorkshire last term. However, it remains unclear whether Brighton will sanction his sale this summer, meaning Marcelo Bielsa needs to keep his options open.
A new centre-back should be a top priority following the departure of Berardi on a free transfer. Cooper is currently the only experienced option in that department and the Whites clearly need more depth at the back if they are to thrive in the Premier League.
To put things into perspective, Leeds United need to add more Premier League experience to their ranks to enhance their chances of survival in the top-flight. Calum Chambers boasts 139 top-flight appearances for the likes of Southampton, Arsenal, Fulham, and Middlesbrough, so the Englishman definitely fits the bill in that regard.
The 25-year-old’s versatility is another key factor that should appeal to the Whites. Essentially a central defender by trade, Chambers is equally capable of slotting into a right-back role or even as a defensive midfielder.
Hence, the Arsenal outcast’s arrival at Elland Road should offer Bielsa with some quality and experienced cover in multiple positions, thus handing a significant boost to the squad dynamics.
Calum Chambers still has his best years ahead of him at 25, thus making him a lucrative option for Leeds United given Arsenal’s rather modest asking price of £12m. The Whites need to be smart with their new recruits this summer and this looks like a deal that could pay off handsomely in their bid for survival.