Leeds are being linked with a trio of central defenders as they prepare for life without Pascal Struijk.

As expected Struijk has sealed a switch to Brighton with some reports suggesting we'll initially get juet £15M up front for the Dutch defender.

Struijk is pretty much our last link with the Bielsa class of 2020 considering the only other players remaining from that era, Joe Gelhardt and Jack Harrison are unlikely to play for Leeds again.

Struijk produced an emotional farewell video and I think its fair to say, in the main, he leaves with the best wishes of the fans after nine-years here. My own opinion was, he wasn't the best defender that has ever pulled on a white shirt and has limitations pace-wise but Brighton have got a decent player a little on the cheap side given he's a left-footer and given his experience. Personally I thought he was our most-improved player last season.

Imevitably there has been a mad, scramble of speculation as who will replace him.

Ladislav Krejčí is one of the names being linked. Currently at Wolves after a loan-spell with Giroma and a forgettable World Cup captaining the Czech Republic, Wolves have apparrently slapped a £40m price tag on his head. Similarly we are being told that Lloyd Kelly of Juventus would cost £30m upwards, Juve only signed him last summer after he spent just one-year at Newcastle. The Magpies picked him up from Bournemouth on a free.

For €27m or just over £23m, we could get a slightly younger and cheaper option in Natan. The Brazil-born defender who isn't part of their World Cup squad may be sold by Real Betis, current home of Junior Firpo and Marc Roca. Betis are also linked with Whites target Julian Brandt and apparently his dad was seen at their training complex yesterday.

Whoever replaces Pascal won't come cheap!

Photo: Action Images via Reuters