Elche full-back Juan-Cruz Alvaro Armada in action during a La Segunda match. (Image Credits: Elche CF)
According to Spanish sports daily AS (h/t Leeds Live), Elche full-back Juan-Cruz Alvaro Armada is on the radar of Leeds United.
The 27-year-old left-back has been impressive for La Segunda side Elche this season, giving eight assists from 27 league appearances so far.
Armada has been turning heads in Spain with his attacking play since moving to Elche last summer, making 63 appearances across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Championship table-toppers Leeds are in need of a new full-back. Barry Douglas, who turned 30 last September, has fallen down the pecking order under Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa this season and has made just 11 league appearances so far.
Despite Leeds having as many as four left-backs in their side, none of them have nailed down the spot. This is a problem position for Bielsa ahead of the new season. Moreover, it could turn out to be a major concern for the Whites if they succeed in earning promotion to the Premier League at the end of this season.
Bielsa has mostly relied on full-backs Ezgjan Alioski and Stuart Dallas to carry out the left-back duties for Leeds this term. The two have mostly shared the role, with Alioski featuring 17 times and Dallas playing 12 times.
Leeds also have young left-back Leif Davis as a back-up option. However, he is yet to impress Bielsa and has made just three league appearances in the league this season. This indicates that he is clearly not on top of the manager’s plans for the future.
Hence, it is evident that Leeds need a new and established face in their midst if they get promoted or stay in the Championship in the coming days. Considering all this, Armada could be a good option to sign. He has a £3.5million release clause on his head.
A regular feature in the Elche line-up, Armada, thus, qualifies himself to be an excellent candidate for that role at Ellan Road.
Despite Leeds being well stacked in the left-back role, none have succeeded in establishing the spot for themselves. This calls for a quality, regular player like Armada, who has been arguably one of Elche’s best players in recent times. Leeds must continue their pursuit of the Spaniard and land him as soon as possible.
