INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 18: Nico Elvedi #4 of Switzerland kicks the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Los Angeles Stadium on June 18, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Leeds United have been relatively busy since the conclusion of the Premier League campaign.
The first piece of business the Whites attended to was ensuring their captain, Ethan Ampadu, signed a long-term contract extension. United also remain in negotiations with the likes of Karl Darlow and Sam Byram over potential new deals at the club.
In terms of new arrivals, reports suggest that Leeds have launched a bid in excess of £20million to sign Southampton midfielder Shea Charles.
And now, Leeds have also found themselves linked with another defender, who is Noah Okafor’s international teammate.
Leeds United interested in Borussia Monchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi
Going into the transfer window, it was expected by most that Leeds would sign another left-footed centre-back this summer.
If Pascal Struijk did not come to terms on a contract and was sold as a result, we may even have to sign two left-sided centre-backs.
However, according to a report from Bild, United are also in the market for a right-sided centre back.
The report claims that the Whites are looking to potentially sign Nico Elvedi, who plays at Daniel Farke’s former club, Borussia Monchengladbach.
Elvedi is also Okafor’s international teammate. Whilst the Leeds winger has struggled to get game time at this World Cup, Elvedi has played every minute of Switzerland’s campaign so far in the heart of their defence.
Elvedi is about to enter the last year of his deal at Monchengladbach. As a result, the 29-year-old defender leaving the Bundesliga this summer seems plausible.
Leeds would be willing to pay around £7.4million to secure Elvedi’s services.
A deal for Nico Elvedi does not make sense on paper
Jaka Bijol, Joe Rodon, Sebastiaan Bornauw and even James Justin all proved they could play centre-back for us adequately last season.
That is why it is hard to imagine us signing another right-footed centre back. Especially when it is clear that we need reinforcements on the left.
This is, unless we sell Bornauw, let’s say, this summer, if the Belgian wanted to find a new club where he could play more often.
If that’s the case, then Elvedi would make a great deal of sense. For just over £7million, we could do a lot worse than to sign a defender with 11 Bundesliga campaigns under his belt and who is just shy of 70 caps for his country.
Whilst Elvedi would appear to be an upgrade on Bornauw, if we have no intentions to sell him, then signing Elvedi would mean we have an unnecessary backlog of right-footed centre-halves.
We have far more pressing issues in our squad than signing another right-footed defender. So unless Bornauw leaves this summer, I’d be putting a deal for Elvedi on the back burner.
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