Latest reports from the Daily Mirror as cited by Leeds Live indicates that Leeds United are looking to sign Sheffield Wednesday custodian Keiren Westwood on a free transfer. Westwood is currently not in demand with the Owls as he is yet to make an appearance for them this season. The goalkeeper missed a significant part of the season so far due to a knee injury and is getting back to full fitness as he made an appearance for Wednesday’s u-23 side.
The 34-year-old has experience of playing in over 250 games in the Championship and even has 19 appearances in the Premier League. The Ireland international could be just the man for Leeds United who are in desperate need of a goalkeeper. The club’s managing director Angus Kinnear has already indicated that the club would want to sign a shot-stopper early in January and as things stand, that could very well be Westwood.
The Whites suffered a major blow when Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman had to return to Stamford Bridge due to a foot injury and William Huffer had to start in goal for one game as Bailey Peacock Farrell was also injured at that moment.
Peacock Farrell’s performance has been patchy and getting an experienced goalkeeper should give the club a lot of confidence going into the second half of the season.
Even with all the major injuries, the Whites have coped up well and currently occupy the second spot in the Championship table. Bielsa has played down any January signing happening despite the injury crisis, but one can expect a goalkeeper coming in after the club director’s comments.
A vastly experienced goalkeeper is precisely what the Whites need as the team is quite inexperienced in a lot of departments. It’s true that the club faithful might want to see a bit more of a high profile signing like Tom Heaton who has also been linked (The Sun) with Leeds United. But if the West Yorkshire outfit fails to land the England international, then Westwood is definitely someone they should look at seriously.
Bielsa had said that he would have dropped Peacock Farrell for Blackman if not for the latter’s injury. So we expect Westwood to be more than just a deputy to the 22-year old and there is going to be every chance that he replaces the Northern Irish goalkeeper. Westwood is also a winner of the player of the season award for the Owls (twice), and he also got himself in the 2014-15 Championship team of the season. So he is a proven commodity at this level, and the Irish goalkeeper could exactly be what the doctor ordered for United.
