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To be a successful football club these days, teams often need to scour the globe for affordable talent. The Championship is no different, with many teams last year employing a number of players from outside of England and the British Isles.
Leeds United reportedly were interested in Swedish defender Linus Wahlqvist last year, and while no move was made, the situation may have changed and the 20 year-old IFK Norrkoping right back might be looking to move abroad.
Transfer news: Report suggests that long-standing Leeds United target Linus Wahlqvist is free to move #lufc #mot https://t.co/AwCkZlI0JO
— HITC Transfer News (@HITCdeadlineday) May 18, 2017
IFK Norrkoping has two current players with experience playing in England. Daniel Sjölund signed for West Ham United as a teenager in 1999 and transferred to Liverpool without making an appearance for the senior club. He spent three years on Merseyside, also without making a senior appearance, and moved back to Sweden in 2003 to play for Djurgarden. More recently, David Moberg Karlsson played at Sunderland in the 2013-14 season, appearing in one League Cup match and spent four games on loan at Kilmarnock during the same season.
Swedish scout Pelle Andersson recently told Kamraterna that Wahlqvist would be ready for a move abroad, and recommended the player move to a league such as the Championship in England or the top division in the Netherlands, the Eredivisie. He has also been linked with La Liga club Valencia as well.
Valencia are interested in young Norrkoping defender Linus Wahlqvist.
— FootballNews24/7 (@FootieRumours24) May 15, 2017
Leeds United could always use another young defender, and increased squad depth would assist in another push for promotion. Worst case scenario is that the team gets a player who would prove depth and competition for places, and best case scenario is that the young defender would be a breakout star at the fullback position. He has scored five goals for IFK Norrkoping in 87 appearances for the Swedish club.
IFK Norrkoping is currently in second place in the Allsvenskan, only a point behind league leaders Malmo FF with 20 points after 10 games, as the Swedish league runs from April to October. Wahlqvist has appeared in all ten games for the club, and hopefully if he does make the move to Elland Road, he can bring some experience playing winning football with him.