Leeds United have already bolstered in a number of key areas this January window, with Victor Orta looking to avoid another repeat of last season’s narrow escape from the drop.

Unloading a club-record deal on a forward and reuniting Jesse Marsch with Max Wober strengthened up front and at the back, whilst Weston McKennie continues to be a top target of theirs.

However, one name that persists and was only mentioned again earlier this week was that of Michael Keane.

The Everton defender has endured a tumultuous time at Goodison Park ever since his £30m move, and despite the imminent arrival of his old boss Sean Dyche it remains to be seen whether he has a future on Merseyside after so many poor performances.

He could be offered an exit plan though through the Whites, who would welcome him as a solid option to potentially be the perfect foil alongside Wober.

When confident, the Englishman is a solid centre-back with a better passing range than many give him credit for. The issue is that since leaving Burnley he has struggled for consistency and so he has not garnered enough belief in himself.

Under Carlo Ancelotti however, he showed glimpses of what he could do when given the backing of his manager, as he earned a 7.06 rating across the 2020/21 campaign.

During this season he would average 4.5 clearances and 1.5 interceptions per 90, alongside an 87% pass accuracy (via Sofascore).

The 6-foot-3 titan uses his hulking frame to dominate his opposition and shares plenty of similarities with the aforementioned Austrian.

In fact, Keane was being lauded as recently as February last year, with Harry Redknapp labelling him “immense at the back”.

This is made more impressive given his stark drop-off in game time since the arrival of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski.

Before making the switch to Elland Road, Wober was averaging a 7.24 rating and had been dubbed “a leader” by journalist Beren Cross.

The 24-year-old would then showcase his more creative assets through his 0.7 key passes per game and five big chances created.

His presence beside Keane could be the catalyst to getting the best out of the 30-year-old, with their dominant stature sure to frighten any centre forward and the classy qualities of Wober sure to shine through further.

Combining these two could be the foundation that ends their defensive troubles, of which only four other teams in the league have conceded more.