In a summer that has so far been laced with uncertainty and frustration on the transfer front, Charlie Cresswell's return to Leeds United could not be more timely.
Following the loan departures of Robin Koch to Eintracht Frankfurt and Diego Llorente to AS Roma, Cresswell is currently Leeds' only right-sided centre-half option in the first team squad.
Of course, Liam Cooper, Max Wober, Pascal Struijk and Leo Hjelde can all also play centre-half but are naturally left-sided defenders.
The Whites have been linked with a move for Liverpool defender Nat Phillips and will naturally have to bring in another right-sided centre-half to redress the balance and add much needed squad depth.
READ MORE: England U21s' secret to success can help Charlie Cresswell take next Leeds United step
But in Cresswell, Leeds may already have an option from within ready to step up and establish himself in the first team, despite being just 20-years-old.
He will return to Thorp Arch later this month full of confidence as a European champion, after helping England win the under-21 Euros in Georgia.
Cresswell started in the 2-0 win over Germany, impressing head coach Lee Carsley, and will be one of a handful of players who will continue to be a part of the under-21 setup as they look to retain the title in 2025.
While he largely played second fiddle to the impressive pairing of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Levi Colwill, that winning feeling could be vital when coming into a Leeds side in need of a lift.
New head coach Daniel Farke has been tasked with reviving the fortunes of the Whites following their relegation from the Premier League, and will look to do so by integrating an experienced core with new signings, as well as the exciting conveyor belt of youngsters produced by the club's academy and successfull under-21 side.
Cresswell will lead those candidates, particularly given his experience at Championship side Millwall on loan last season which will prove vital this term.
And while the wait for new recruits goes on, Leeds could do worse than to give one of their own a chance to establish Farke's trust in the heart of their defence.
