Leeds’ top defensive target rejected Elland Road move for Championship rivals

According to the Mirror, Leeds United have lost out on the signing of Brentford defender Harlee Dean, with the club’s most recent Player of the Year keen on a move to Birmingham instead and has already signed three-year deal. a deal.

The Whites’ Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City were also keen on the 26-year-old centre-back.

The £2million-rated Dean had an offer on the table from the Leeds, only to turn it down as he wished to link up with Birmingham’s boss Harry Redknapp instead.

Leeds manager Thomas Christiansen wants to add one more defender to his backline, and already had plans to sign Arsenal’s youngster Krystian Bielik on a season-long loan, only for an injury to collapse a move for the Polish centre-back last minute.

With the former Southampton player, who amassed 200 appearances for Brentford, and featured in all but 1 Championship outing for the club last term now also ruled out, Leeds have been left to look for another defensive target with just few hours to the end of the summer transfer window.

At the moment, Christiansen has the trio of Pontus Jansson, Liam Cooper and the injured Matthew Pennington as his only traditional options in the centre-back role, and might have to make do with them until at least January should another defender fail to arrive before Thursday deadline.

Harlee Dean could have been a great addition to the Elland Road outfit had a deal worked out.