Leeds United are attempting to hijack Villa’s move for Bournemouth centre-back Tommy Elphick, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
In recent days, Villa have widely been reported as front runners for Elphick’s signature, with the 28-year-old seemingly closing in on a move to Villa Park and becoming the first signing of the new era at Villa Park.
However, it seems like that Villa could have competition for the former Brighton defender, with Leeds looking to secure his services and bolster their defensive backline which was one of the worst in the Championship last season, conceding 59 goals in the league as Leeds finished 13th.
The news could be a blow for Roberto Di Matteo as he gets underway with rebuilding Villa’s squad, with new owner Dr Tony Xia reportedly willing to allow the former Chelsea manager to spend upwards of £20 million to reshape a squad which finished bottom of the Premier League last season.
