Leeds United’s Luke Ayling is thought to be the latest member of the squad to be closing in on a new contract, according to a report by Leeds Live.
It is claimed the right-back (as well as Mateusz Klich) is believed to be nearing a new deal at Elland Road as Victor Orta works hard to keep Marcelo Bielsa’s favourites in LS11.
Liam Cooper, Stuart Dallas and Kalvin Phillips have already committed their futures to the club as they look to go one better than last season and finally secure promotion from the Championship.
Ayling has been a strong favourite of Bielsa’s since the Argentine has been at the helm of Elland Road, as the right-back has been a mainstay of the team when he has been available for selection.
Under the South American, the 28-year-old managed to make a total of 42 appearances across all competitions last season – although that could have, perhaps, been a lot more if it were not for the injuries he had picked up. He missed two months of action and was unavailable for seven games throughout November and December.
According to the data collected by WhoScored, Ayling was also one of their best defensive stars last season as they fell just short in their quest for Premier League football. The right-back managed to average an impressive 2.2 tackles per game, 1.2 interceptions and 1.5 clearances in the 40 matches that he was selected to play in.
However, he could find it difficult to come back into the side once he returns from his latest setback. Stuart Dallas appears to have been thriving in the position so far and the Northern Ireland international has received praise for his versatility and adaptability from pundits.
Speaking on Sky Sports (via HITC Sport), Danny Higginbotham sang the 28-year-old’s praises and even went as far to call him a ‘manager’s dream’ and has subsequently been rewarded with a new contract of his own.
“He [Dallas] is a manager’s dream because of the number of positions I have seen him play for Leeds,” he said. “I have seen him play left-back, at right-back and I have seen him play higher up the pitch. He’s got a great delivery into the box. But he’s such a clever player. He finds space and more often than not the ball that he puts into the box is fantastic.”
It does not come as a surprise to hear that Ayling is the latest in a long line of players to be handed a new contract at Leeds, as the defender has been a mainstay in Bielsa’s team when fit.
What will be interesting, though, is whether he will continue to be once he is available for selection as Dallas appears to have been making the position his own this season and that could make it difficult for the 28-year-old to regain his place.
Either way, tying him down to a new deal is good business by the Whites and will ensure they have some tough competition for places moving forward.
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