Town’s hopes of landing Leeds left-back Leif Davis appear to have suffered a blow with Junior Firpo, the Whites’ first choice in that position, having been ruled out for eight weeks.

The Blues made a £1 million plus top-ups worth £500,000 move for Davis last week but with Leeds head coach Jesse Marsch having been impressed with the 22-year-old, who is currently in Australia on a first-team pre-season tour.

Firpo missed the trip having suffered an injury in last week’s friendly against Blackpool, a problem which will sideline him for up to two months it has emerged.

“He’s most likely out for eight weeks,” Marsch told The Athletic. “We’re hopeful that it’s a little bit faster because Junior healed really, really quickly last time after the MCL injury.”

With Stuart Dallas out until around Christmas with a femoral fracture, Davis is now the only fit out-and-out left-back in the squad.

“We’re looking very closely at Leif Davis and we think he’s done really well,” Marsch continued.

“We have also other solutions, like Pascal [Struijk] and potentially Jack [Harrison]. But in the whole process, we were always evaluating what we would need at that position.

“So obviously this highlights that a little bit more clearly and we have time, we have time.

“When it comes to recruitment, I believe that [sporting director] Victor Orta and [head of scouting] Gaby Ruiz do an incredible job of looking around the world, understanding what the demands of the style of football that the manager wants to play and then providing really good possibilities as to what those players could be and what the fits could be.”

Town have already signed one left-back this summer, former Morecambe man Greg Leigh, however it is expected that they will look to bring in a second before the start of the season.

Speaking at the weekend to BBC Radio Suffolk’s Life’s a Pitch, although not specifically about Davis, CEO Mark Ashton said there can be delays when trying to sign players from Premier League clubs at this point in the summer.

“I think the frustrating thing at the moment is that we’re in this period now where free transfers have gone, Premier League clubs are now back in training, Premier League managers are settling their squads down and whilst you have discussions with clubs about transfers of other players, Premier League clubs have got pre-season tours to fulfil and sometimes they want numbers around for training and technical camps so there’s a bit of almost a time delay in being able to conclude some of these deals,” he explained.

“But I promise you we are still active in the market and I fully expect some more to come in.”

Davis, who spent last season on loan at AFC Bournemouth, has a year left on his Leeds contract.

Photo: Action Images

markchips added 09:54 - Jul 13 We move on.
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Bazza8564 added 10:29 - Jul 13 Greg Leigh looked excellent last night and we have Edwards and Penney who can play LWB, its less of an issue now. Priority is to move Pigs (and maybe Simpson) and add that last striker. I was particularly impressed with the new boys last night and KVY looked like he has regained some sharpness and pace, I really dont think we are far away right now from having a squad that can have a proper run at the title this season. Cant honestly see Humphreys El Miz and Harps getting much starting league action but they will be capable cover for Morsy Ball and Evans and 5 subs means that depth there might be useful

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reescurtis added 10:46 - Jul 13 Well played by leeds tbf imagine if they had rushed to let him join us, im sure there are more LWB out that will suit our club
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OwainG1992 added 11:14 - Jul 13 Very well. We move on. Best of luck to him and hopefully he takes his chance at Leeds now. Leigh looked a decent prospect yesterday it has to be said.
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Unhinged_dynamo added 16:23 - Jul 13 Good luck to lad, he has a real chance now to stake his claim at a prem club, if he's our number one target for lwb then maybe wait till jan and rebid if we're still looking
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LPMC1 added 17:21 - Jul 13 What I like about this, as much as it is a shame to miss out on what seems the making of a good player, is that we are looking at good young players of potentially premier league players and developing them into premier league players. Gone are the days of just filling the squad with loan players, but actually saying come here, here is your chance to play first team minutes and if you are good enough then great. If we aren't pushing for premier league in a few years time sold for a profit - exactly sort of business I want us doing.

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