This summer, Leeds United spent £105 million on 10 new signings. Initially some fans were pleased that the ownership decided to be ambitious in the window, but things quickly soured.
As the weeks went on in the summer, the reality dawned on them. The Whites spent just £18 million on a permanent transfer for an attacker, the other two were free transfers. Leeds were able to properly bolster the defence and midfield, but they were left short in attack and it has shown. Most of the signings the club made were from top clubs in Europe and for moderate transfer fees, they failed to go ‘all out’ unlike their promotion rivals Sunderland.
| Player | Fee |
|---|---|
| Lukas Nmecha | Free |
| Jaka Bijol | £15m |
| Sebastiaan Bornauw | £5.1m |
| Gabriel Gudmundsson | £10.3m |
| Sean Longstaff | £12m |
| Anton Stach | £17m |
| Lucas Perri | £15.6m |
| Dominic Calvert-Lewin | Free |
| Noah Okafor | £18m |
| James Justin | £8m |
The final days of the transfer window saw the club scramble to get in some signings, after missing some big moves. Leeds missed out on Facundo Buonanotte and Harry Wilson before the deadline, leaving fans disappointed. Now in the November international break, we can properly reflect, with a fair amount of time, on the club’s summer recruits.
Rating every Leeds United signing this season
Looking at the money spent this season and where Daniel Farke’s side are, one would think the signings were not good enough. However, there have been some good players brought in over the summer that have helped the team in a lot of ways. Here, we rate every Leeds United signings this season.
Lucas Perri – 4/10
Leeds needed a new keeper and the Brazilian fit the bill. But for someone signed for a record fee at the position, he has been rather underwhelming. Statistically this season, he ranks among the worst shot stoppers in the league. He will need to redeem himself in the rest of the campaign.
James Justin – 3/10
It was understandable for Leeds to get a backup for Jayden Bogle. James Justin can also play on the left which means he covers for both flanks. But the former Leicester man has barely played this season, and for that fee, someone has to ask questions.
Sebastiaan Bornauw – 1/10
The Belgian has had one appearance this season against Sheffield Wednesday. In that game he was poor. Since then he has barely made the bench. No one can explain why he was signed, but as of now he remains an expensive waste of money.
Jaka Bijol – 2/10
The Slovenian came in with a huge reputation for being a top defender in Serie A. But what he has shown so far does not justify the fee spent on him. Bijol has not shown that he is better than Pascal Struijk. Daniel Farke should drop him after the international break.
Gabriel Gudmundsson – 7.5/10
Gudmundsson has been among the better signings from this summer. Many people thought replacing Junior Firpo was going to be difficult, but Gudmundsson has shown true quality in the role. He has been a solid performer and the feeling is that he will only get better.
Anton Stach – 6.5/10
The German was a defensive midfielder but Daniel Farke gave him an advanced role. He thrived early in the season, but injuries have slowed him down a bit. Stach has been a good signing so far but there is definitely more to come.
Sean Longstaff – 7/10
The Newcastle man has been one of the best signings at the club this season. Longstaff has been a very good influence to the team, and his experience has been vital. He brings dynamism in the middle of the park. The midfielder’s set pieces have been key this season too. His last two performances were not the best, but solid overall.
Noah Okafor – 7/10
The winger has shown a lot of promise this season, and is currently the club’s joint-top scorer. Okafor has been a bright spark in a rather dull attack, and could still deliver as the season goes along.
Lukas Nmecha – 6/10
The forward has been a decent signing so far, a backup player who has contributed when needed. As a free transfer, he has done his best in games this season. Hopefully Farke can trust him more as the season goes on.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 5/10
Calvert-Lewin has been an okay signing, but he continues to fail in front of goal. His finishing has let Leeds down multiple times this season, but he has lead the line well in some games. A decent signing on paper, considering he was free, but if he’s going to be first choice, Calvert-lewin has to do better than his current conversion rate, which has seen him miss four of his five big chances this season.
| Player | Games Played | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominic Calvert-Lewin | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Noah Okafor | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| Lukas Nmecha | 12 | 2 | 1 |
Leeds United have had a mixed window, not good and not terrible. As a newly promoted side though, you have to nail the window, and overall Leeds didn’t, especially in attack. What stands out is the £30 million worth of signings sitting on the bench every week. Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw and James Justin have been disappointing signings so far. But there has been some good additions – especially Gabriel Gudmundsson, Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff.
| Statistic | Rank |
|---|---|
| Interceptions | 2nd |
| Tackles Won | 3rd |
| Blocks | 3rd |
| Clearances | 3rd |
The trio have shown they are quality players at this level and can help the team secure survival. The jury is still out on the attacking signings who have scored five goals between them this season. Fans will be hoping that the January window will be much better. The money wasted on benchwarmers should have been spent on attacking talent earlier in the window, now the club must act in January.
