According to O Jogo, Leeds are interested in signing Torino defender Lyanco this summer.
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With Gaetano Berardi suffering a long-term injury that could keep him out for up to nine months, and Ben White’s return to Elland Road on a permanent basis still up in the air, Leeds are unsurprisingly on the look-out for a new centre-back.
And according to Portuguese publication O Jogo, the Whites are in the running to lure Lyanco to the club. The report claims that Sporting CP failed to match Torino’s asking price for the defender, and that with Marcelo Bielsa’s side being in a stronger financial position, they could yet capitalise.
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It’s further added that Leeds could face added competition from the likes of Lille and Bologna.
Completely dominated Cristiano Ronaldo
Though Torino may have slipped to an agonising 1-0 home defeat to Juventus last season in the Serie A, Lyanco was undoubtedly one of the standout performers for the Italian side.
Coming up against Cristiano Ronaldo, the Brazilian masterminded a superb rearguard performance, foiling the multiple time Ballon d’Or winner on numerous occasions. As per Sofascore, the former Real Madrid superstar had seven total shots in the entire game, but only found the target on three of them, with Lyanco and his teammates not giving him a clean look at goal.
Ronaldo conceded possession 12 times and lost more than 50% of his duels, whilst Lyanco made team-highs of: four clearances, two blocked shots and two tackles. That’s not to mention that he won 75% of the challenges that he contested on the ground.
The 6 foot 2 powerhouse shackled Ronaldo with aplomb, and with Leeds searching for a centre-back to potentially marshal them in both Berardi and potentially even White’s absence next season, Lyanco could well be that man to step up in their shoes.