Leeds United eyeing Fleetwood right-back McLaughlin

The Elland Road club are understood to have made contact with Fleetwood about the defender's availability on the back of his appearance at Euro 2016.

McLaughlin, 24, was part of the Northern Ireland squad which reached the knockout stages of this summer's tournament in France, playing alongside Leeds winger Stuart Dallas.

Several Championship sides, include Reading, are monitoring the £300,000-rated right-back but Fleetwood are anticipating an offer from United following an enquiry in the past few days.

Leeds already have two right-backs on their books, Gaetano Berardi and Lewie Coyle, but Berardi is nursing an injury at present and would also be used to cover at left-back next season in the absence of Charlie Taylor.

Coyle, meanwhile, only recently emerged from United's academy to make his first-team debut and the interest in McLaughlin is a sign that Leeds want another experienced alternative to Berardi.

McLaughlin began his playing career at Preston North End before joining Fleetwood in 2012. He and Taylor played together while Taylor was on loan at Fleetwood in 2013-14, a campaign which ended in promotion via the League Two play-off final.