Leeds United have now made an approach to sign a “true gladiator”, who could replace Junior Firpo, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.
Leeds eyeing new defenders amid Firpo uncertainty
Firpo’s Elland Road future has been up in the air for quite some time, and the left-back is now looking increasingly likely to be heading for the exit door this summer, with Real Betis recently submitting a proposal to re-sign their former player.
The Dominican Republic international is out of contract at the end of this month, and Daniel Farke’s side have now started running the rule over potential replacements, with widespread reports suggesting Aston Villa left-back Alex Moreno is of interest.
With Firpo set to leave for nothing, however, there may be a desire to bring in a replacement on a free transfer, and Jacobs has now taken to X to reveal the Whites have now made contact over a deal to sign a new target.
Indeed, according to the GiveMeSport correspondent, Leeds have now made an approach for Atletico Madrid defender Reinildo, who is set to be available on a free transfer upon the expiration of his contract after the upcoming Club World Cup.
There may be competition for the left-back’s signature from within the Premier League, however, with Sunderland and Nottingham Forest making proposals of their own, while the defender also has “options” from Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
"True gladiator" Reinildo has experience at the highest level
The Mozambique international was a bit-part player for Atletico Madrid in the 2024-25 campaign, making 19 La Liga appearances and often being left on the bench, but he is experienced at the top level, having tested himself in the Champions League and Europa League.
Once lauded as a “true gladiator” by scout Jacek Kulig, the 31-year-old’s experience could be useful in helping Leeds avoid the drop next season, but there are some doubts over whether he would be an upgrade on Firpo.
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In fact, the 28-year-old has even outperformed Reinildo across some key metrics for defenders over the past year, despite being more well-known for his ability on the front foot, having picked up 14 goal contributions in the Championship last season.
Average per 90
Reinildo
Junior Firpo
Tackles
2.13
2.27
Clearances
2.82
3.51
Aerials won
0.89
2.10
As such, despite Reinildo’s top-level experience, the evidence doesn’t suggest that he would be a real upgrade on Firpo, and it may be worth Farke giving his current left-back a second chance to prove himself in the Premier League, should a move to Betis fail to materialise.