Leeds United have opened talks to sign Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O'Brien this summer.

What's the story?

Journalist Alan Nixon previously revealed via Twitter that O'Brien was "very near" to the top of the shortlist for Leeds this summer as they look to strengthen their midfield options ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

Football Insider have now claimed that preliminary discussions have taken place over the Whites securing the 22-year-old, with Huddersfield set to demand a significant price for one of their star players.

Bielsa will love him

In O'Brien, Leeds could find someone who could be ready to make that step up from the Championship to the Premier League, with Huddersfield Town writer Steven Chicken waxing lyrical about the midfielder's potential.

He said: "O'Brien is a left-footed, tough-tackling central midfielder.

"Former Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley often praised O'Brien as being 'like having two players', with the midfielder receiving particular praise from his manager and fans alike for his ability and willingness to rush back and win the ball with a clean sliding tackle whenever his side were caught on the counter-attack.

"He certainly has the potential to be (a Premier League player), if he's not already. His fitness is incredible and he just never seems to get tired, which is one of the biggest difficulties Championship players have when stepping up to the Premier League.

"He's never going to be a big glamorous name in the Premier League, but he is the kind of wholehearted, committed player that managers love because they do so much of the hard work that helps other players to shine."

As per WhoScored, O'Brien averaged two tackles and one interception per game in the Championship last season, which is only slightly less than the 2.6 tackles and 1.6 interceptions Phillips managed per Premier League match.

Judging by those figures and the endorsement from Cowley, the 1.73m (5 foot 8) midfielder clearly has the defensive tenacity that the highly demanding Bielsa would love at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Leeds United have had a bid accepted for this player...