Leeds United are making strides to re-sign their former goalkeeper, Alex Cairns, from Salford City, as reported by Football Insider.
The club has expressed formal interest in the 31-year-old, who began his career at Leeds, making his professional debut in 2011 but only managed a single senior appearance before departing in 2015.
Cairns, who has a year left on his Salford City contract, might be available for a transfer, which Leeds intends to capitalize on. This move aligns with EFL regulations requiring Championship clubs to have at least eight homegrown players in their 25-man squad. Cairns’ addition would help Leeds meet this criterion.
Currently, Illan Meslier and Karl Darlow are the first and second-choice goalkeepers for Leeds under manager Daniel Farke. Cairns is expected to be brought in as the third-choice keeper, especially with Kristoffer Klaesson’s potential transfer to Polish side Rakow Czestochowa, which would result in the squad losing a homegrown player.
Cairns’ journey after leaving Leeds took him to Chesterfield and Rotherham, where he didn’t make any appearances. However, he found stability at Fleetwood Town, making 240 appearances between 2016 and 2023. Last summer, Cairns joined Salford City permanently after a successful loan spell and has since made 77 appearances, including eight clean sheets last season, as Salford narrowly avoided relegation from League Two.
Leeds’ pursuit of Cairns indicates a strategic move to bolster their goalkeeping options and adhere to homegrown player requirements, reflecting their intent to strengthen the squad for the upcoming season.
