Leeds United deadline day: Patience pays off as Whites land experienced right-back at the death

Wales defender Connor Roberts has joined on loan to end the Whites' month-long search for greater depth at full-back and become their first major signing of the window.

The left side of defence has been a big problem area for Leeds in recent weeks but the return from injury of Junior Firpo to challenge Sam Byram means they are as strong there as they have been all season, even with Stuart Dallas still recovering from a broken leg.

But Leeds have lost two right-backs in the mid-season window, sending Djed Spence back to Tottenham Hotspur – he has since moved to Genoa – over concerns about his attitude, and granting Luke Ayling's wish to join Middlesbrough on loan.

It has left central midfielders Archie Gray and Jamie Shackleton to cover the right-back position.

But in the final hours of the window Leeds hit on a solution in the shape of experienced Wales right-back Roberts.

Roberts was named in last season's PFA Championship team of the year after his 39 starts and four substitute appearances as the Clarets won the division at a canter. Roberts also chipped in with four goals.

Opportunities have been more limited in the Premier League, where half of his 16 appearances have come from the bench.

But his experience of the division Leeds are trying to get out of and more widely will be invaluable to a young Whites squad.

Roberts played in all three of Wales' games at the last World Cup, starting the first two and coming on in the first half against England. He has 53 international caps.

The now-28-yearold started his career with Swansea City, where he was an academy team-mate of Dan James, Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu, and had an ill-fated loan at Middlesbrough, cut short halfway through the 2017-18 season, where three of his four appearances for the Teessiders came in the League Cup.