Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is reportedly keen on what he has seen from Reading midfielder Andy Rinomhota, according to Football Insider.

The Whites are sitting pretty at the top of the table ahead of the clash with Cardiff City tomorrow and eager to extend their gap to third place heading into the New Year, with the gap currently at 11 points.

One player who has been pivotal to this surge to the top has been academy product, Kalvin Phillips, who has been a revelation ever since Bielsa’s arrival at Elland Road 18 months ago.

In the holding midfield position, Phillips has brought immense defensive prowess along with superb distribution on the ball, unrivalled by most in the Championship.

That being said, because of his quality, there is very little cover for him or no players that can operate in that role effectively. This was shown in Leeds’s 2-0 win over Huddersfield where there was an alarming Kalvin Phillips-shaped void in midfield as he served a suspension for accumulating five yellow cards.

Leeds are reportedly looking into plugging this gap by turning their attention to Reading’s Andy Rinomhota who would provide much-needed cover to arguably the Championship’s best holding midfielder. 

Now, Football Insider are reporting that Bielsa likes what he sees from the 22-year-old and could give the green light for the Whites to make a January swoop for him. The Leeds-born Rinomhota would come in to cover for Phillips but Leeds know that if they fail to achieve promotion this season, they would almost certainly lose him to the Premier League.

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The Verdict

This would be a very smart signing from Leeds and he fits the mould that Bielsa would want from a holding midfielder, blending strong defence with slick passing.

While Reading are struggling in the division, it might not be an expensive signing to make compared to other options that Leeds might want to pursue, and at just 22-years-old he could be a great signing for the future.