Leeds United have held talks to sign a £5m Premier League defender who shares the same representation as current goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
The Whites enjoyed a brilliant Championship campaign in 2024/25, winning the title in stoppage time on the final day at Plymouth Argyle.
Daniel Farke’s side reached 100 points from their 46 games, but that tally could have been so much more without errors from Meslier. His injury-time blunder away at Sunderland, shaky display against Hull City and mistakes against Swansea City cost Leeds six points.
Farke dropped the Frenchman for the final seven games, with Karl Darlow coming in as Leeds won six of their last seven, keeping five clean sheets in the process.
Meslier’s future at Elland Road is thought to be in doubt, with Leeds on the search for a new first-choice keeper and will offer the Frenchman to other clubs during the summer transfer window.
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The likes of Aaron Ramsdale and Sam Johnstone have been linked with moves to Leeds to replace Meslier, but by the looks of things, Leeds are talking to the goalkeeper’s Gol International agency about another client – Alex Moreno.
Leeds open talks for Aston Villa’s Alex Moreno
According to Football Insider, Leeds have opened preliminary talks to sign Aston Villa left-back Moreno this summer.
The Whites have made contact over a transfer, with Villa ready to move the 32-year-old on following his loan spell at Nottingham Forest in 24/25.
The Spaniard made 19 appearances for Forest last season, and a new left-back is among the top priorities at Elland Road with Junior Firpo on course to re-join Real Betis following the expiration of his Leeds contract.
Moreno has been valued at £5m by Villa, and clubs in Spain are also working to land the left-back ahead of Leeds.
He actually made his Villa debut under Unai Emery against Leeds back in 2023, and the Villa manager has described the full-back’s speed as his best attribute.
“Moreno’s best quality is his speed. In the attacking third, he is getting into he box and finding not only crosses, but passes as well – very good.
“Now, what we’ve decided for him – because of his quality I knew before from Spain – I like sometimes the one side using the right or left back higher. We are doing it with the left-back higher than the right-back because to like use Moreno higher and more aggressive in attack.”
Regular game time at left-back appears to be on the cards at Leeds with Firpo on course to leave, so that could be something that appeals to Moreno.
