Marcelo Bielsa has identified left-back as a key area to improve this summer with Stuart Dallas being deployed as a centre midfielder last season and Ezgjan Alioski yet to sign a new deal.

Someone they could be set to miss out on is Romain Perraud and former Leeds midfielder David Norris believes that it will be a huge blow for the club.

Leeds appeared to be leading the chase for the full-back, however now Southampton appear to be favourites for the French full-back having reportedly agreed personal terms with Perraud leaving him on the brink of making the switch to the Premier League at St Mary's.

Perraud has performed well for Stade Brestois and he helped his club fight off relegation for the second successive season, being named in France Football's Ligue 1 Team of the Season as a result, but now could be the right time for their promising 23-year old to move onto bigger things.

With both clubs eager for a new left-back this summer it appeared to be a straight shoot-out between Leeds and Southampton with the latter winning, something that will come as a huge blow to Bielsa, according to Norris, whos spoke exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

"I think once it's out that Leeds are going for a player that normally means they've done their background work and it won't just be an off the cuff one. So, having put in that amount of effort to make it known they're going for a player, only to lose him will be a blow.

"It's clearly a position they're looking to reinforce. So I think it will be a little bit of a blow especially him going to Southampton over Leeds, it will be a blow but I'm sure they'll have other targets lined up."

Perraud would have ticked one box immediately at Leeds this summer with the transfer window only opening this week, however, they could well be on the back foot with other targets now.

The fact that Marcelo Bielsa wants to bring in a new left-back that could signal the end of Alioski's Leeds career and that he sees Dallas' long term future in the centre of midfield.