Charlie Taylor would add international quality to Leeds United’s backline should he return to Elland Road this summer. That’s according to Sean Dyche, who took the opportunity to underline his belief in the left-back’s abilities during his final few weeks in charge at Burnley.
According to The Athletic, Taylor is one of the players on Leeds’ summer transfer wish list as they look to make the necessary additions before their push for promotion back to the Premier League. Taylor knows what’s required to bounce back at the first time of asking having just helped the Clarets back to the top flight as champions and he knows Elland Road well, it’s fair to say, after coming through Leeds’ youth system.
As such, the 29-year-old seems to fit the bill for Leeds and with Junior Firpo expected to leave the club this summer, left-back is a position that is clearly in need of strengthening. Since leaving Leeds to join Burnley in 2017, Taylor has made 190 appearances for Burnley and most of those have come in the Premier League, where he was a key man for so long under now-Everton boss Dyche.
Read more: England U21s' secret to success can help Charlie Cresswell take next Leeds United step
Dyche is clearly a big fan of the full-back and, speaking last year, he suggested Taylor could even work his way into the international picture.
“Charlie Taylor, if he continues what he's doing – it's still a bit early yet, but I'd be surprised if he's not at least getting thought of around the England set up,” Dyche said in April 2022.
"The detail in the front third is always relevant, of course, particularly when you go to international level, passes into the box...the game is changing now, I think if you look at top teams, it's not just a cross any more, they actually pass into the box, find passing lanes in the box.”
He added: I am constantly on him, and he'll be bored of hearing about it, but just get turned and run forwards.
"He is a powerful boy and gets into great areas. It's only when he starts playing backwards...a lot of modern academies now, it's just rotate and recycle the ball, and they get tuned into that.
"We have to break that when they come here – we want you playing forwards first, if you can't, then go backwards.
"When he does that he is a powerful player, and he did it so well for the goal, runs at them, and good movement from Jay, he drifts into a nice area.”
Taylor made 93 league appearances for Leeds after emerging through the ranks, but his exit saw his reputation among supporters tarnished somewhat as Garry Monk revealed he had refused to play in Leeds’ last league game of the season as he approached the end of his contract. The player has since spoken about his regret regarding the way his time at the club ended.
