Leeds United have had a year to remember. 

While a whole host of football clubs have been impacted negatively by the ongoing pandemic, Leeds are one that have flourished.

Buoyed by promotion from the Championship to the Premier League, they've secured an estimated extra £200m from achieving such a landmark moment. 

Victor Orta has used that cash to inject heavily in the playing squad.

Illan Meslier has arrived permanently among a heap of younger players to improve the academy. There have also been a number of high-profile additions too.

Rodrigo became Leeds' club-record signing after arriving from Valencia while there have been other incomings in the shape of Robin Koch and Diego Llorente.

The Whites aren't stopping there either. A deal for Michael Cuisance is all but confirmed as Marcelo Bielsa's men look to end the window strongly.

Marcelo Bielsa

It looks as though another signing could be on the horizon too with a winger next on their list of things to do. Dan James and Ryan Kent are two names on the list.

Despite signing Llorente last week, Leeds are still in the market for a defender if you believe sources in Italy.

A report from CalcioMercato this week claims that the Yorkshire side are interested in signing Juventus centre-back, Daniele Rugani. 

They aren't the only side in the race to land the Italian, however.

West Ham and Newcastle are both eyeing a move for Rugani who could cost somewhere around the €20m (£18.1m) mark.

Unfortunately, it's thought that none of the English teams involved want a permanent deal.

Rugani and Ronaldo

GIVEMESPORT'S Matt Dawson says...

It wasn't long ago that Rugani was being linked with clubs like Arsenal.

Unfortunately for the Italy international, he has had several setbacks in his career over the last few years.

Rugani has fallen out of favour in Turin and has gone from a player who'd regularly appear in the Champions League to falling behind the likes of Merih Demiral and Matthijs de Ligt. 

That isn't to say he isn't a good player though. He is a colossal defender, standing at 6 foot 3 so it's hardly surprising to see he's been described as "magnificent in the air." 

Rugani

Last term, he won an impressive 3.2 aerial duels per game, a tally only bettered by Liam Cooper from the promotion-winning squad.

Despite that, Leeds have no business signing another central defender. Koch and Llorente have both arrived while Pascal Struijk showed signs of adapting to first-team life by appearing in the opening match of the campaign and in pre-season. 

Rugani may be pretty cheap in today's market, but the Whites are now well equipped defensively.