Aston Villa are today being linked with a move for Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who is expecting to make a move away from Turf Moor in the January window.

The experienced stopper has been firmly out of favour for Sean Dyche's men this term, as Joe Hart has taken the number one spot while Nick Pope remains an able deputy.

However, despite it being a massive for Villa if it does come off, we at FLW think that it is Leeds who should be looking to sign the 32-year-old and should be going all out to ensure they capture his signature ahead of their Championship rivals.

Marcelo Bielsa's men have already been linked with a move for Heaton, but no deal is yet to be concluded, and it could be getting worrying for the Whites as they look to address their 'keeper situation.

With that thought in mind, we decided to look at TWO reasons why Leeds simply cannot afford to let Villa sign Tom Heaton ahead of them...

Put simply, they need a goalkeeper

In the simplest terms, Leeds need a new goalkeeper and fast.

Injuries to Jamal Blackman and Bailey Peacock-Farrell have curtailed their progress somewhat, and they cannot rely on youngster Will Huffer to do the business over a considerable length of time over the season.

Signing Heaton makes sense, and they simply have to ensure they snap him up.

He'd be joining a promotion rival

There is little doubt based on some of the performances under Dean Smith so far that Villa are going to be a force to be reckoned with, and Leeds can ill afford to allow them to pip them to players.

Leeds must ensure that they sign the stopper, especially ahead of a club like Villa.

It would be heartbreaking to see Heaton help the Villans to promotion this term, especially if it was a the expense of the Whites.