Leeds would be better off signing a more experienced goalkeeper than Kristoffer Klaesson. 

That's according to former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, who was speaking to Football Insider.

The lowdown

News emerged from the same publication on Thursday that Leeds are in advanced talks to sign the 20-year-old from Oslo-based club Valerenga.

A deal for the £450,000-valued 'keeper is said to be 'edging closer', with a contract on the table.

Phil Hay, Leeds United correspondent for The Athletic, reported earlier in July that Leeds had stepped-up their efforts to sign a new back-up to Illan Meslier after Kiko Casilla left on loan.

In addition to Klaesson, Levante's Dani Cardenas and Newcastle United's Freddie Woodman have also been considered. An injury to Magpies no. 1 Martin Dubravka, though, has complicated any move for the latter.

The latest

Agbonlahor believes the sensible approach is to recruit a deputy 'keeper who is a capable no. 1.

And he has doubts as to whether Klaesson meets that standard with only limited experience in a league that ranks outside UEFA's top 20.

"Any player can get injured at any time," he said. "Your number one keeper can get injured for the season on the opening day of the campaign.

"You have to be very careful with number two goalkeepers, they have to be quality. You look at Aston Villa and other teams, they try to get a quality number two in because you never know what can happen in football.

"I wouldn’t want to put that on a young goalkeeper. I’d rather have somebody with at least a few years of experience in a top league."

The verdict

You'd have to say Agbonlahor has a point. We shouldn't write off Klaesson simply because of the league he comes from, but do Leeds really believe he's ready to step-in for a number of months if Meslier was to get injured?

What about the alternatives, then?

Well, Woodman probably wouldn't be keen on the move given that it wouldn't make much difference to his prospects of first-team football, and Dubravka's injury may even offer him a path into the first-team on Tyneside.

But Cardenas might tick the boxes. The 24-year-old forced his way into Levante's first team at the back-end of last season. He may not have 'a few years of experience in a top league' but, significantly, he would not be coming into a top league completely raw like Klaesson.

In other news, Leeds are monitoring this defender