Why David Stockdale would be a fantastic signing for Leeds United

Leeds United didn’t enjoy the best of seasons last term as they finished 13^th in the Championship, managing just 60 points from their 46 league games. The Whites were far from their best and often displayed very inconsistent performances last season.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom was sacked after just 16 games in charge of the club. Heckingbottom signed an 18-month rolling contract with Leeds in February after replacing Thomas Christiansen.

Leeds have now appointed Marcelo Bielsa as their new manager, with the club aiming to mount a serious promotion push next season. Leeds will be looking to make new additions to their team in the summer. The Elland Road club were sloppy at the back last season and conceded a total of 64 goals in the league. Besides strengthening their defence, Leeds are also in the market for a new goalkeeper.

And Leeds have been linked with making a move for Birmingham City custodian David Stockdale. The Yorkshire giants are reportedly interested in signing the veteran to put an end to their goalkeeping problems once and for all.

Stockdale joined Birmingham from Brighton last summer and made 36 Championship appearances, keeping 6 clean sheets. The 32-year-old, who is an experienced campaigner, made a total of 101 saves in the league last season.

Stockdale also has Premier League experience, with the goalkeeper having represented Fulham from 2008 to 2014. He made 39 Premier League appearances for the Cottagers, keeping 7 clean sheets in the process. He also made 155 saves across that period.

Stockdale’s experience is certain to help Leeds. He is a commanding presence in the box and is also a very vocal goalkeeper, who loves to keep his backline in check. The likes of Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Andy Lonergan and Felix Wiedwald all struggled between the sticks for Leeds last season.

Reports suggest that Leeds are looking to strike a loan deal with Birmingham for the goalkeeper and he could turn out to be a great signing for Bielsa, who will be looking to make a strong impression in his first season at Elland Road.