Ranking Leeds United's transfer window: 10 new signings and over £100million spent

Debate has raged over Leeds United’s transfer business this summer, with Daniel Farke having splurged over £100million on 10 new signings.

But failure to add to their forward line on deadline day led to plenty of wailing and gnashing of teeth from Whites fans.

Here, DAZN News assesses the strength of Farke’s squad after the transfer window closed as the Yorkshire giants bid to stay in the Premier League.

Goalkeeper

Leeds signed Brazilian Lucas Perri from Lyon this summer for an initial £13.9million to replace Illan Meslier as their new first-choice goalkeeper.

Farke lost faith in Meslier towards the end of last season after a series of costly and high-profile blunders and the Frenchman is now behind Perri and Karl Darlow in the pecking order.

Perri has kept two clean sheets in his first three Premier League appearances and looked a safe pair of hands, although his distribution with the ball at his feet has given cause for concern.

Overall, however, Perri looks an upgrade on Meslier, who has remained at Elland Road after there were no takers for him this summer.

Full-back

Junior Firpo became a cult figure with Leeds fans at left-back in the past couple of seasons, but rejoined Real Betis, his boyhood club, this summer.

Into his place came Sweden international Gabriel Gudmundsson, who looks a fine fit for the Premier League.

The Whites also signed James Justin from Leicester City and he will compete with Jayden Bogle for the right-back spot whilst providing cover across the backline.

With Sam Byram a reliable squad member, Leeds are well stocked in the full-back positions.

Centre-back

Arguably Leeds’ strongest position. Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk were key figures in last term’s promotion success and have understandably started the season as Farke’s first-choice pairing.

They have looked solid enough in the home games against Everton and Newcastle, although two centre-halves signed this summer will provide competition.

Sebastiaan Bornauw arrived from Wolfsburg on a four-year deal and Slovenia centre-back Jaka Bijol on a five-year deal from Udinese.

With captain Ethan Amapdu also able to play centre-half, Leeds look to have few worries in this area.

Central midfield

Another position where Leeds look relatively strong, numbers-wise at least.

Sean Longstaff, a proven Premier League performer, arrived from Newcastle United this summer for £12million.

He looked the part against the Magpies during last weekend’s goalless draw at Elland Road.

Imposing Germany international Anton Stach joined on a four-year contract from Hoffenheim and has shown some encouraging signs.

Ampadu and Japan midfielder Ao Tanaka have been sidelined by medial collateral ligament injuries but it is hoped they will return soon after the international break.

Ilia Gruev struggled to cope with the intensity of the Premier League when Leeds lost 5-0 at Arsenal recently.

But he was far from alone and the Bulgarian stood his ground against Newcastle last weekend.

Again, overall Leeds appear strong in this area of the pitch and the return of Ampadu, who was outstanding against Everton in the opening-day win at Elland Road, will be a massive boost.

Winger

Wilfried Gnonto and Daniel James have terrorised Championship defences for the past two seasons, but how much impact they can have in the Premier League remains to be seen.

Gnonto is a bag of tricks and James has pace to burn, while Farke now has Jack Harrison at his disposal after he spent the past two seasons on loan at Everton.

Harrison has quality and if he can show that on a regular basis then he will win over the Leeds fans who vilified him for jumping ship two summers ago.

Noah Okafor recently signed from AC Milan for £18million and it is hoped he can seriously make his mark as the season unfolds.

Leeds missed out on Feyenoord winger Igor Paixao – after the Brazilian winger joined Marseille – and Facundo Buonanotte as the Brighton man instead chose to join Chelsea on loan.

Meanwhile, Largie Ramazani was allowed to leave and join Spanish side Valencia on loan.

That increases the need for the Okafor signing to work.

No 10

This is an area where Leeds are undeniably lacking, although the 4-3-3 formation deployed by Farke does not lend itself to using a No 10.

In their opening three games, Farke has fielded three central midfielders and two wingers either side of a centre forward.

Joel Piroe can play as a 10, as can Brenden Aaronson and Gnonto, while Leeds have been linked to Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer for the past couple of transfer windows without any move materialising.

But Leeds could certainly have used a classic No 10 this summer.

Buonanotte, who can also play out wide, might have found a home there had he not snubbed Leeds and joined Chelsea.

Centre forward

This is undoubtedly the biggest cause for concern – Leeds’ ability to score goals at Premier League level.

So far they have found the net just once in three Premier League games and that was from the penalty spot.

This summer, Farke allowed Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph to leave while a big-money bid for Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz came to nothing.

In came Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin – both on free transfers and with question marks hanging over them.

Nmecha scored just three times for Wolfsburg last season while Calvert-Lewin’s struggles with fitness and form in recent years have been well documented.

It is hard to escape the feeling that Leeds needed to spend big on a proven, reliable goalscorer this summer.

Granted, the club has had to carefully follow profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

A deadline day move for Fulham’s Harry Wilson fell through and, until January at least, it will fall to Nmecha, Calvert-Lewin and Piroe to produce the goods.

Harry Gray, 16, is tipped for the very top but surely cannot be asked to play regularly at this level just yet.

Much could depend on Calvert-Lewin rediscovering the form and fitness which earned him 11 England caps in the not-too-distant past.

Leeds certainly need goals from somewhere. 

 

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