Luke Ayling has discussed a possible tweak in position ahead of potential formation change at Leeds United .
The right-back, who hasn’t featured in pre-season due to an ankle injury, was speaking at a LUFC Foundation event on the eve of the new campaign.
He’ll remain sidelined for the opening weeks of the new season, including the opener against his former club Bristol City on Sunday.
Marcelo Bielsa appeared to revert to his patented 3-3-1-3 formation, a leftfield choice that he’s famously used before with Chile and Athletic Club, in the final pre-season friendly against Cagliari.
Ayling was asked about that tweak, and how he’d feel about adapting to more of an inverted wing-back role if that’s to be the preferred formation on his return to the team.
“Me personally? I hope not! I hope I’m not running up and down there,” he joked.
“I hope I slip back into a right-sided centre-half role, because I’m not a right wing-back. But if he asks me to play there, then I’ll play there.”
It’s been suggested by some that Leeds remain light in the centre-half department, but Ayling’s willingness to drop into the right side of a back three, as Kyle Walker often did during the World Cup for England, would offer more depth there.
The senior options are new Brighton loanee Ben White as well as Gaetano Berardi and Liam Cooper, with Pascal Struijk expected to make the step up from the Under-23s if necessary, and Kalvin Phillips having already shown his ability to drop into the backline.
But while Ayling joked about his preferred position, he was keen to stress that he’s happy to carry out whatever duty Bielsa asks of him. One of the Argentinian’s hallmarks as a manager is a preference for players with a versatility that are willing and able to play in different positions.
“I’ve never said no to playing anywhere,” he added. “It doesn’t bother me where I play.”
