Leeds United look set for a flurry of activity when the summer window opens. The club need to address several areas of the squad ahead of next season.
Adding quality to the team will be the priority ahead of Leeds’ return to the Premier League. The gap between newly promoted clubs and the rest of the division continues to increase each year. This season, all three new clubs were relegated.
The Whites will hope they can recruit enough quality this summer. Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe has promised the fans that the club will spend in an effort to keep their top flight status.
QUIZ: Can you name the team Leeds United sold these players to?
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Former Leeds United coach gives verdict on promoted clubs
Credit: Imago Images
Leeds are shaping up for a huge transfer window. But former players, and pundits have sounded warnings on how the club should go about their business. The latest person to offer some insight is former Whites’ assistant coach Gus Poyet. The 57-year old believes promoted clubs, including Leeds United, should focus on quality recruitment rather than just spending big:
“It’s a big gap in every department… physical, technical, mental.” he said, speaking to Flashscore.
“With all respect, not only talking about Leeds, but all the teams, three or four that can perform at their best. It’s the other six, they are Premiership players. But when you put these three or four players with players who never played in the Premiership, you’re going to suffer. And they’re going to suffer as well. So it’s, it’s a big gap. I saw the team this year and I saw the team last year.
“Burnley tried to play the same way in the Premier League and were awful. It’s not about money, it’s about recruiting smartly.
“Surviving in the Premier League means you recruit very well. Not spending money, Fulham spent 100 million and went down. You need something special.”
Poyet makes a great point
The former Leeds assistant makes a very valid argument. It is not about the transfer spend, but rather how good the recruitment is. Two of the newly promoted teams this season spent over £110million in the transfer market last summer. But it was not enough as they all went down.
Credit: Transfermarkt
Back in 2020, Leeds spent a similar amount but were able to beat the odds and finish with the top half. Big money was spent, but the recruitment gave the team a solid spine of Meslier, Robin Koch, Raphinha and Rodrigo. The attack including Raphinha and Rodrigo alongside Patrick Bamford were very impressive that season – Leeds scored 62 goals.
