Leeds United are reportedly close to sealing the signing of Red Bull Salzburg defender Maximilian Wober. That is according to the Athletic, who claim the Whites are closing in on a deal for Wober after the Austrian champions decided to listen to offers.
Wober is currently captain of Salzburg and should a deal be agreed, would become the third player from the club to join Leeds in just two transfer windows following the arrivals of Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen in the summer. The 24-year-old is equally adept at playing as both a left back and centre back, with Leeds very much in the market for the former in January.
So after today's reports, here is everything you need to know on a potential new January arrival for the Whites.
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Career so far
Wober progressed through the ranks at Rapid Wien and played for both the club's B and first team before earning a big move to Ajax as a teenager. In his second season at the Dutch giants he won the Eredivisie title, and spent much of the early days of his career at centre back.
He wasn't ever really a regular at Ajax, though, and was loaned out to Sevilla in January 2019 where he then signed permanently in the summer. However, Wober was on the move again in the same transfer window and became the most expensive player in Austrian Bundesliga history when RB Salzburg spent €12 million on his signature.
Wober has won the league and cup double in each of his three seasons at Salzburg, with two of those coming under Leeds boss Jesse Marsch, who will be very well known to him. He has also been capped on 13 occasions by Austria.
Why would Leeds want him?
As has been well documented, Leeds are in desperate need of a left back next month. That said, Wober has not been a left back during his whole career, spending the majority of his days at Ajax in central defence.
Even during his early days at Salzburg under Marsch he was predominantly a centre back, which would make a move for him strange unless Leeds are planning on moving one of their current options out. In fact, it's only this season when Wuber has played regularly as a full back, with 16 of his 19 appearances coming on the left side of defence.
What has been said about him?
Salzburg Sporting Director Christoph Freund hailed his leadership qualities after signing a new deal in May earlier this year. He said: "Max is not only a really good defender just in the way we want of him. He is also a real leader in the team who is happy to take on responsibility, which is an important factor for our young team.
"He has developed really well over the past three years in Salzburg as a player and a person. That makes us even happier to extend his contract."
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