According to the latest reports from Daily Star, Leeds United are eyeing a deal for Fulham’s midfielder Stefan Johansen. The Whites were even linked with a move for him in January, but nothing materialised at that time. The 28-year-old is currently away on loan with West Bromwich Albion.
The midfielder is currently in the final few months of his contract, and the Whites can land him on a free transfer in the summer. The Cottagers do have an option to extend Johansen’s deal for another year, but it is still unclear what Fulham’s stance might be. With the club pretty much destined to go down to the Championship, a player like Johansen might come in handy next season.
Midfield is one of the areas where the Whites lack depth as Mateusz Klich and Kalvin Phillips have player majorly through the season in central and defensive midfield respectively. The club has someone like Adam Forshaw as a backup option but one still feels that the Whites will need more depth, especially if they move to the Premier League next season.
Johansen is currently the captain of the Norway national team and he has plenty of experience at the top level. His best stint came with Celtic where he won 4 Premiership titles with them. Johansen’s impressive work rate and versatility should delight a manager like Bielsa.
The 28-year-old has 20 goals and 17 assists to his name in 87 Championship appearances and that showcases how good the Norwegian is in the final third. Johansen can play anywhere across the midfield, but he is at his best in a box to box role. United cannot solely depend on Klich for the next season and we expect the Whites to add depth in midfield.
However, some fans would want to see much better quality coming in the summer if the West Yorkshire outfit makes it to the Premier League. We still believe that Johansen can do a decent job as a squad player in the English top flight and on a free transfer, the 28-year-old is an exciting prospect.
But, the ball is still probably in Fulham’s court as they can trigger a year-long extension. If the London club goes down, they might end up losing quite a few players (as it usually is the case after relegation) and an experienced player like Johansen can play a crucial role in the Championship.
The midfielder might not be a game changer signing for the Whites but in a long season, having squad depth is important. Bielsa should look to pull off a move for this 47 time Norwegian international.
