Daniel Farke makes Leeds United transfer claim amid interest in £10m Liverpool man

Daniel Farke has admitted that Leeds United 'need additions' in defence amid interest in Nat Phillips.

The centre-back is down the pecking order at Liverpool, having made just five appearances last season. Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are all preferred.

Phillips hasn't featured for the Reds in pre-season so far and has been omitted from the squad for the tour of Singapore. Jurgen Klopp's side reportedly want £10 million for the 26-year-old, who has two years remaining on his Anfield deal.

Leeds are preparing for life back in the Championship after suffering relegation last season. Farke has taken over the reins at Elland Road after Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce all served in the hot seat during the doomed 2022-23 Premier League campaign.

So far, the Whites have signed only Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea. But Farke has insisted that new additions at the heart of Leeds' rearguard are required

"It's always about what wishes and what is realistic to do," he said via Leeds Live. “So I think we have to have to say 100% we need many, many positions. We can't rely, if you want to be ambitious club, on just Ethan Ampadu in the centre of the park and if he's not ready then perhaps on an 18-year-old guy in the number eight position, or a 17-year-old guy. It’s not possible and also not healthy for the development so they need players who they can lean on, where they can learn. I'm pretty pleased with the development of our young players.

“We definitely need additions also at the centre back position. It will be a long season I know the Championship is the toughest league in the world and at the moment we just have three centre halves so we need to do a little bit, we also a bit thin after the long term injury of the full-back positions.

“Many, many positions if I'm honest, but it's always about what is realistic. So I have many wishes and I think if you want to start really ambitious into the season there needs a lot of business to be done. But, due to the nature of the situation, we keep going and try to make the best out of it.”