David Anderson says Leeds "could have got" target signed before amid fresh buy-out clause claim

Leeds United would have signed Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien if they had been willing to part with slightly more cash last summer, according to Daily Mirror journalist David Anderson.

The Whites failed to welcome any reinforcements to Elland Road before the January deadline passed, but O’Brien has remained among head coach Marcelo Bielsa’s targets.

Leeds were understood to be back on the trail of O’Brien at the turn of the year after failing to secure his services last summer.

The Whites saw four proposals pushed back by Huddersfield, with the most lucrative being worth £13million.

O’Brien then committed his long-term future to the Terriers by penning a four-year deal in September, seemingly strengthening the Championship club’s negotiating position.

However, the contract includes a £10million release clause and although Leeds were reportedly willing to meet that figure in the final days of the January transfer window, a move failed to come to fruition.

That has opened the door for other potential suitors and Bournemouth are thought to be looking to strike a deal if they succeed in their bid to win promotion to the Premier League.

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Anderson was puzzled by the fact Leeds were unwilling to slightly increase their bid for O’Brien last summer.

The 23-year-old’s release clause is now worth less than the top bid the Whites submitted last August, meaning they could have bought O’Brien for cheaper than the amount they were willing to pay a matter of months earlier in January.

Anderson feels Leeds were close to prising O’Brien away from their Yorkshire rivals before the window slammed shut at the end of August.

When asked about Leeds’ bid to sign