Leeds United could be forced into signing a centre-back in the final week of the loan window and a Premier League player has emerged on their radar.

As per The Yorkshire Post, Reece Oxford is a target for Leeds as Marcelo Bielsa looks to dip into the loan market to provide short-term answers for his injury problems at the back.

Oxford is looking for a loan move after falling behind Fabian Balbuena, Issa Diop, Declan Rice and Angelo Ogbonna in the pecking order at West Ham United.

Last season, the 19-year-old was at Borussia Monchengladbach and he has also spent time on loan at Reading.

But how could the 6ft 3in defender's arrival impact Bielsa's Leeds squad if he joins?

Well, with Liam Cooper currently out injured and Pontus Jansson not fully fit yet, he would be an immediate fix to the problems at the back.

Oxford plays predominantly as a centre-back, although he can also play as a defensive midfielder too, and having a natural central defender in that position is vital.

Bielsa went with Luke Ayling and Gaetano Berardi at the weekend and Swansea City's physical striker Oli McBurnie enjoyed aerial success against the two natural full-backs.

If Oxford was there instead, he would have been able to use his towering frame and impressive strength to counter McBurnie's aerial presence.

With Cooper out injured for now, Oxford is the short-term answer, rather than persevering with Berardi at the back or giving a game to young Conor Shaughnessy.

But Oxford could also be the answer for the rest of the season.

The England youth international is comfortable with the ball at his feet and suits Bielsa's style of play so over the course of the season, he might prove to be a better option than Cooper.

A central defensive pairing of Oxford and Jansson has the potential to replicate the success of Kyle Bartley and Jansson in the 2016/17 season: formidable in the air, threatening from set-pieces and tough to penetrate.

Another potential impact is that Bielsa might choose to use all three of Oxford, Jansson and Cooper together in a back three.

The Argentinian's preferred formation has always been 3-3-3-1 and having these three centre-halves allows him to use them as ball-playing defenders.

Could we see Bielsa to revert to three at the back if Oxford arrives?