Leeds United are currently preparing for a second season in the Championship after they failed to earn promotion to the Premier League last term.
Daniel Farke is set to attempt to guide the Whites out of the second tier after he watched his team lose in the play-off final against Southampton at Wembley in May.
The West Yorkshire outfit have added three new signings to the squad since the end of last season, with Joe Rodon and Alex Cairns joining on permanent deals and Joe Rothwell arriving on loan from Bournemouth.
Farke could now land a dream partner for Rothwell in the middle of the park as Leeds are reportedly eyeing a swoop for another midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window.
Leeds preparing Premier League swoop
According to PlanetSport, Farke and the Whites are preparing a fresh attempt to sign Tottenham Hotspur youngster Oliver Skipp to bolster their midfield options.
The report claims that Leeds are looking at the former England U21 international as an option as Glen Kamara is closing in on an exit from Elland Road, to join Rennes in Ligue 1.
It adds that the club did try to land the defensive midfielder as part of the negotiations that saw Archie Gray move to Spurs and Rodon return to Yorkshire but they were not willing to part ways with him at the time.
PlanetSport reveals that Tottenham could now sanction a move for Skipp if they are able to bring in a replacement first, which could then open the door for the Championship side to snap him up on loan with an option to make it permanent next summer.
Farke signing his former Norwich City star would be a terrific piece of business as he could come in as a fantastic partner for Rothwell next term.
Why Oliver Skipp could be perfect for Joe Rothwell
The 23-year-old ace's defensive and physical attributes at the base of the midfield make him ideal for the Cherries loanee, who struggles out of possession but offers a threat on the ball.
Last season, Skipp ranked within the top 37% of Premier League midfielders for tackles per 90 (2.29) and the top 32% for blocks per 90 (1.53) across 21 appearances in the division, which shows that he was above average amongst his positional peers in key defensive metrics.
His form for Norwich on loan in the Championship during the 2020/21 campaign under Farke's management also suggests that he can be an outstanding defensive star at that level.
Appearances
45
41
Goals
1
3
Assists
1
10
Big chances created
3
10
Ground duel success rate
62%
51%
Duels won per game
5.7
3.0
Tackles per game
2.2
1.0
As you can see in the table above, the £40k-per-week enforcer was a strong defensive presence in midfield in his last season in the second tier.
Meanwhile, Rothwell's last year of playing regularly at that level showcased his attacking quality, with 13 goal contributions, and his average play off the ball.
Therefore, Skipp could be the perfect bruising defensive midfielder to provide the 29-year-old ace, who scored four goals in 16 Championship games last term for Southampton, to thrive on the ball.
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The Spurs youngster could dominate opposition players on the deck at the base of Farke's midfield and free up Rothwell to push forward to make things happen as a scorer and a creator of goals, which is why they could be a dream duo for Leeds.