Leeds United could look to the summer transfer window to strengthen their squad following another disappointing campaign in the Premier League season where Javi Gracia will have his first opportunity to put his own mark on the squad.
The Whites are currently embroiled in a tight relegation battle in the bottom half of the table, however, following an important victory over Nottingham Forest earlier this week, they find themselves two points clear of the drop zone with nine games remaining to secure survival.
Leeds have experienced a revolving door when it comes to their injury issues over the campaign so far, with a number of key players picking up knocks and concerns on multiple occasions, ultimately hindering Gracia's opportunities to play his best starting XI in the squad and often having to rotate to accommodate absences.
As a result, adding quality depth in key positions and building for the future should be the main focus for the powerbrokers at Elland Road if they manage to retain their Premier League status at the end of the season.
One player who has been linked with Leeds is Birmingham City midfielder George Hall, a young player who could bring a fresh perspective and add quality depth to the midfield going into next season.
Who is George Hall?
The talented 18-year-old has been making a name for himself since breaking through the academy set-up and into the first team this season in the Championship.
Hall – who is often compared to former Birmingham academy graduate Jude Bellingham – has already shown glimpses of his talent in the second tier, which has also helped him to attract interest from Merseyside giants Liverpool.
Over 27 league appearances, the teenage sensation has scored one goal and registered one assist, while successfully completing 49% of his dribbles and winning 2.2 duels per game so far – despite only averaging 40 minutes per display.
That outlines him as a well-rounded asset, someone who not only excites with his attacking play but is bullish towards the defensive side of the game.
Birmingham's U18s coach Martyn Olorenshaw is one notable figure to have lavished praise on Hall for his quick development and growth:
“He is explosive, dynamic and has the prowess to influence games. He is a really exciting player that has the ceiling to achieve whatever he wants to achieve."
The England U19s starlet could be the perfect player for Gracia to form a dream midfield partnership with Tyler Adams, as the defensive midfielder, who is renowned for winning possession in the centre of the pitch, could provide Hall with the opportunities to progress the ball and become a key component in the attacking threat.
Adams ranks among the top 5% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for tackles and blocks, as well as completing 5.67 progressive passes and making 8.29 ball recoveries per 90 minutes over the current campaign.
That final statistic is exceptional, with it ranking the American in the top 8% of midfielders in the entire Premier League, proving that he could offer a lot to a player like Hall who has displayed strong attacking attributes in midfield so far.
With that being said, the signing of Hall would be a great opportunity for Gracia to build a young and dynamic midfield for the future at Elland Road.
Indeed, if he could form what would be an 'exciting' partnership between the youngster and Adams, it could considerably improve Leeds' chances of comfortably competing in the top flight.