Leeds United’s reliable defensive depth that we are seeing today hasn’t been built in one day. In fact, the team faced multiple caveats in their back line, specifically at the left-back position during the 2023-24 season. Recurring injuries to their first-choice option, Junior Firpo, raised major concerns for the side, where they were exposed on multiple occasions.
In the subsequent years, the Leeds front office did a pretty good job of resolving this issue, bringing in Swedish player Gabriel Gudmundsson for £10 million from LOSC Lille. Since then, the Swedish international has been the team’s first-choice option for the left wing-back position.
The Premier League side further doubled down on their depth in that position by signing Melvin Bard on a transfer deadline-day loan deal ahead of the 2026-27 season tip-off from OGC Nice. Notably, Leeds also have the option to sign Bard on a permanent deal by paying a sum of £4.16M.
Behind these players, Leeds have been pretty convincing on the left flank so far in the season, where they have worked cohesively like a unit. But they aren’t done yet, as reports suggest that Leeds is taking a keen interest in Porto left-back Zaidu Sanusi as they look to improve their depth even further in that position.
Sanusi arrived at Porto in August 2020, when the Portuguese club paid a sum of around £3.36M. Steadily, Sanusi has emerged to become the team’s first-choice left-back option, starting 7 games for the club this season. The 29-year-old has firm experience of operating in a compact defensive unit, as he has already done that in Porto.
He has won multiple league titles with Porto and also has international experience while competing for the Nigerian national side. Although the player is not world-class, to be honest, but considering his Champions League appearances, speed, aerial prowess, and physical dominance, Sanusi can be a good fit for Leeds United and Daniel Farke’s system.
The Leeds front office and sporting director Adam Underwood are immensely interested in the player, and the club has been reportedly monitoring the Porto left-back through several transfer windows. Furthermore, Leeds even got a bid rejected by the Portuguese club earlier this year in January, but has got back to the drawing board to bring Sanusi in January,
Currently valued at £2.50M (3M Euros), Zaidu Sanusi’s contract with Porto is set to conclude after this season. There haven’t been any signs so far that suggest that the Portuguese club will offer him an extension, meaning that Sanusi will naturally become a free agent at the end of the season.
As a result, Leeds United is also looking to get a discounted deal from Porto and add more depth to the left-back position at a low cost and give their starter, Gabriel Gudmundsson, another competition on the roster. Now, all eyes will be on January to see whether Leeds United can eventually pull off this deal in the upcoming winter transfer window.
