Danny Mills has claimed that Leeds United should look to sign a player on-loan from Manchester City in the January transfer window, as a potential replacement for Arsenal loanee Eddie Nketiah.

It has been a difficult season at Elland Road so far for Nketiah, with the striker yet to start a league game for Leeds, despite scoring five goals in a5 appearances in all competitions for the Championship promotion-chasers.

As a result, Mills believes that Nketiah will return to Arsenal in the January transfer window, and says that Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa should look to exploit his relationship with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola to help secure a replacement for the 20-year-old.

Speaking to Football Insider about the situation regarding Nketiah, and what may be coming into Bielsa's mind as January approaches, the former Leeds defender said: “He should be looking at the players in Man City reserves, Man City U-23s…because I assume Nketiah will go back to Arsenal.

"It hasn’t worked out for Arsenal, hasn’t been beneficial for Arsenal or Nketiah, so you have to replace him."

Discussing the sort of player Leeds might want as an alternative to Nketiah, Mills continued: “Bielsa will want someone who can come in and hit the ground running, so someone incredibly fit, fabulous work ethic, you’re not going to get a top striker and Leeds won’t pay the money for that, in terms of wages, so you will have to go for someone younger.

“I’d be ringing Pep, he knows him very well, who can you get as back-up? Who can you get

from the U-23s? Who can he (Guardiola) use, give experience to, give game time to?”

Leeds do already have one Manchester City loanee on their books in the shape of Jack Harrison.

The winger is in his second consecutive season-long loan at Elland Road from the Premier League champions, and has so far made a total of 66 appearances in all competitions for Bielsa's side, scoring eight goals.

The Verdict

I think Mills may have a point here.

It seems as though Nketiah's future come January is still far from certain one way or another, although he is not getting the game time Arsenal might have expected, meaning it may not be a huge surprise if the Gunners do recall him.

Should that happen, Leeds will inevitably need to replace him in order to help reduce the burden on Patrick Bamford, and Manchester City may be a good place to look.

Anyone able to get themselves on the books at a club of that size is undoubtedly going to have potential, and the likely good relationship the two sides have as a result of the Harrison dealings, means that this is a deal Leeds may well back themselves to pull off.