Leeds have become the latest club to take an interest in signing Wigan Athletic midfielder Joe Williams, a report from Football Insider has claimed.
Williams enjoyed an impressive debut season at The DW Stadium after joining the Latics from Everton last summer, but the club’s entry into administration this summer saw them hit with a 12-point deduction that ensured their relegation to League One, and left them seemingly needing to sell players in order to raise some much-needed funds.
It seems that one of those who could be on the move in order to do that is Williams, with West Brom, Bristol City and Middlesbrough all previously credited with an interest in the 23-year-old, and it now seems as though Elland Road is a potential destination for the midfielder as well.
According to the latest reports, Leeds are now keen to win the race to sign Williams, as they look to strengthen their squad for next month’s long-awaited return to the Premier League.
There are two years remaining on Williams’ deal with Wigan, although it is thought the Latics are willing to sell the midfielder for £1.5million as they go in search of a financial boost.
You do feel as though this could be a deal worth considering for Leeds, particularly given that at £1.5million, it is not going to take too much out of this summer’s transfer budget.
We saw at times last season that with Adam Forshaw out injured, Marcelo Bielsa’s side struggled to fill the gap left in holding midfield when Kalvin Phillips was absent, and there is no guarantee Ben White will be there to do that in the coming campaign.
Bringing in Williams therefore provides the club with a player who is more than capable of doing that, as evidenced by his influential performances last season, without spending over the odds on a player who may well be a squad man, rather than a regular starter were he to come to Elland Road.