Leeds United have identified an experienced Ligue 1 operator for what is currently their biggest problem area in the summer transfer window.

Though the positions of goalkeeper, centre-back, central midfield, number 10 and striker will all be important for Leeds transfer chiefs this summer as they attempt to strengthen the core of Daniel Farke's side, they currently have options and back-up in all of those areas. But as it stands, they do not have a left-back with a contract that runs beyond June 30.

An offer was made to Junior Firpo, but it was one that represented his squad status for next season and Leeds evidently did not see the Dominican Republic international as a first-choice starter in the Premier League. Their expectation is that he will accept what is on offer at Real Betis, the club he supports and with whom he made his La Liga breakthrough. Equally, the Whites have put the ball in Sam Byram's court and made it plain that they would like to keep him in Farke's squad but as of yet there is no progress on a deal.

A left-back Leeds are very keen on and interested in bringing to Elland Road this summer is Lille's Gabriel Gudmundsson. A 15-cap Sweden international, he has shown his versatility with the national team and started as a right-sided centre-back in eight of their last nine outings. At club level he made 20 starts for Lille in Ligue 1 last season, surpassing the 100 league appearance mark. He also started all four of their Champions League qualifying games and five of their 10 fixtures in the tournament proper as they went through to the round of 16 where defeat by Dortmund ended Lille's European involvement.

What has Gudmundsson said on his future?

Gudmundsson, 26, also has experience of the Swedish first and second tiers and spent time with FC Groningen in Holland's top flight. He has one year left on his contract at Lille and recently revealed his belief that his time at Stade Pierre-Mauroy was coming to an end. "I’m very likely to leave," he said. "It will be a very interesting summer.”

Gudmundsson style of play

Gudmundsson is predominantly a left-back of the more attacking description. He has played occasionally as the left-sided midfielder in a 3-4-3 formation at Lille and could theoretically replace the attacking contributions Leeds anticipate to lose with Junior Firpo's expected departure at the end of the month.

The Swede's versatility is not limited to the left-hand side of the pitch, regularly featuring as a central defender in a three-man back-line for his national team, however, in the Premier League this is unlikely to be the 26-year-old's function with a side likely to be battling it out at the bottom of the table.

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This is largely due to the fact Gudmundsson's strengths lie in his intensity and ability in transition. The Lille defender is a strong runner and carrier of the ball, opting frequently to make straight-line runs into space with and without the ball. Last season, he was among Ligue 1's best and most consistent sprinters, for example, making a whole host of runs whenever Lille were in possession.

He has a tendency to position himself aggressively high up the pitch, contributing to attacking phases of play and is happy receiving the ball in the left-hand channel, getting down the sides of opposing defences.

It can be surmised that Gudmundsson's impact in the middle and attacking thirds is a contributing factor to Leeds' interest, whose starting full-backs last season produced 24 goals (16 assists; 8 goals) between them.

The player can be characterised as a risk-taker with ball-progressing intent. Whilst not the most secure in possession, what Gudmundsson offers in athletic terms chimes with the sorts of players Leeds are known to be targeting this summer as they bid to remain in the top flight next season.