Leeds, Villa Pursue Union Berlin Defender Doekhi

Leeds United and Aston Villa are both pursuing a January transfer for Union Berlin defender Danilho Doekhi, the 27-year-old Dutch centre-back whose contract with the German club expires at the end of the season. The move comes as Union Berlin seeks to secure a fee for the player, who has started every minute of their Bundesliga campaign this term.

Doekhi, who joined Union from Vitesse on a free transfer in the summer of 2022, has established himself as one of Europe's most prolific scoring defenders. In 118 appearances for the club, he has netted 15 goals, nine of them headers, making him the top-scoring defender with his head in Europe's five major leagues since his Bundesliga debut. This season alone, he has scored six times in 18 matches across all competitions, including a brace in Union's 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in November. Union officials have confirmed they are open to offers in the region of 11 million to 13 million pounds, aiming to avoid losing him without compensation in the summer.

Leeds United's interest stems from manager Daniel Farke's desire to strengthen the defensive options following a tactical shift to a 3-5-2 formation. The change has coincided with...