Leeds United have enjoyed an excellent start to life under Marcelo Bielsa as they sit on top of the table in the Championship. The Whites have shown considerable improvement from last season in defence as well as in attack. Everyone is praising Bielsa on how without any major surgery to the squad, he has turned the tide around in a short time. But the major question remains whether they would be able to sustain this terrific form.
Everyone thought that the Whites needed a centre-half in the summer but Bielsa played a masterstroke by turning fullback Gaetano Berardi into a centre-half, and now, the Whites have three good options for the two centre back roles. However, an injury or suspension to someone can cause worry to the squad.
That is what happened against Swansea City as Liam Cooper suffered a late injury and Pontus Jansson was already struggling with a back issue, and as a result, Bielsa had to opt for yet another fullback Luke Ayling for the centre-back role for that game. For something like that to not happen again in the future, we believe it would be prudent for Bielsa to make a move for a centre-half. Steven Caulker recently became a free agent after he left Scottish outfit Dundee and we believe it would be a right idea for Bielsa to make a move for the former Tottenham Hotspur defender.
There were reports earlier that the Whites were looking to sign him in August for £1.5m. Now the deal has turned sweeter as they can land the 26-year-old for free.
Bielsa had earlier commented about his transfer strategy and said that he would want to have two players for each position. That means he should have four centre-backs for the two centre-half spots in the team. Conor Shaughnessy is also back after a long injury lay-off, so the Whites do have four centre-backs at their disposal. Though, it is yet not clear whether the young defender would be able to get back to his best as he has only started just one game this campaign. The game was against Preston in the Carabao Cup which also happens to be United’s only defeat of the season. Making a move for Caulker wouldn’t hurt as he is available for free and he would add significant value to the squad.
The 26-year-old even went on to represent England once under Roy Hodgson, but that debut against Sweden also happens to be his only game for the Three Lions at the senior level.
Defensively, he is decent and given his physical presence; the Englishman is strong in the air. He has the experience of playing at the top level and has also shown good confidence on the ball over the years. He can be a good fit for Bielsa’s tactics and philosophy.
