Leeds United hoping to complete double swoop for Aston Villa stars Tommy Elphick and Ross McCormack

Leeds United are hoping to conclude a £7m ($9.8m) double swoop for Aston Villa duo Tommy Elphick and Ross McCormack and are also interested in signing West Bromwich Albion youngster Tyler Roberts as Thomas Christiansen looks to strengthen his ailing side in a bid to sustain a push for a play-off spot.

McCormack enjoyed a largely productive spell at Elland Road between 2010 and 2014, though his departure to Fulham left a sour taste for many in Yorkshire. The 13-time Scotland international scored 58 goals in 158 matches for the Whites, though his spell in the Midlands has been anything but a success.

The 31-year-old joined Villa from fellow play-off chasers Fulham in the summer of 2016 but only managed to plunder three goals before being frozen out of the first team picture by manager Steve Bruce, who was angered by the forward's failure to turn up for training - McCormack said his absence was down to the gates at his house failing to open.

The forward has since enjoyed something of a career revival while on loan at Melbourne City, scoring 14 goals in 16 matches, but his temporary deal with the Aussie outfit has now ended. With Scott Hogan, Jonathan Kodjia and Keinan Davis all vying to lead the line for Villa, McCormack may have to move once again.

Leeds are looking for extra firepower after selling Chris Wood to Burnley in the summer transfer window, and the return of a resurgent McCormack could provide Christiansen with a regular source of goals that Pierre-Michel Lasogga has failed to muster.

McCormack is not the only Villa outcast that Leeds are keen on signing; centre-back Elphick is also on the Yorkshire outfit's agenda. The former Bournemouth stalwart has only featured in four Championship league matches this season and could fall further down the pecking order this month as Villa look to wrap up a move for Manchester United starlet Axel Tuanzebe, who can play at centre-half or right-back - a loan deal is expected to be pushed through this week.

Leeds do have Pontus Jansson, Liam Cooper and Matthew Pennington to choose from but the experience of Elphick, who helped Bournemouth seal promotion to the Premier League a few seasons ago, could prove vital for Christiansen's side during the business end of the campaign.

Leeds are hoping to clinch the signatures of both McCormack and Elphick for a combined fee of £7m, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, and they are also hopeful of snaffling up the services of West Brom's Roberts, who has just returned to the Hawthorns after scoring five goals in 19 matches for Walsall.

Roberts' contract expires at the end of the season and, although he his highly thought of by the Baggies hierarchy, Leeds are hoping to test their resolve before the month is out, though they could face competition from Rangers and Marseille, according to Sky Sports.