The start of the season was not a happy time for Leeds United fans. After the events of the summer, every deal was criticized before the campaign began, especially in the final weeks of the transfer window.
Leeds lost the Championship play off final to Southampton last summer. What followed was not pretty for the Elland Road faithful. The club lost a whole host of players. Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter were some of the biggest names that left West Yorkshire that summer.
Everyone knew replacing such a crop of players would be difficult. Summerville and Rutter combined for 50 goals last season.
Daniel Farke voiced his frustration getting to the end of the transfer window. Eventually, Leeds managed to get some names through the door, but the Leeds boss was unhappy as he missed out on some major targets.
QUIZ: Can you name the Leeds game these 10 goal celebrations are from?
Leeds United target explains transfer snub
Credit: Imago Images
Farke failed with multiple bids for Gustavo Hamer, as Sheffield United and Chris Wilder publicly rejected any move. Another target Leeds missed out on was Norwich star Jonathan Rowe.
The winger joined Marseille on a loan deal with obligation to buy. Leeds were eventually priced out of a move, the 22-year old went for a £17million fee including add-ons. Rowe opened up on his move to France, stating that one of the reasons was because Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi convinced him to move:
“The big difference was Roberto De Zerbi (Marseille boss) calling me personally out of the blue. I was a bit taken aback by it, because it was the first time a manager has actually gone out of his way to call me and say that he wants me.
“So it was exciting, I didn’t really take into account the fact right away that I would be moving to a whole new country and a whole new culture.”
Daniel Farke and Leeds lost out because De Zerbi reached out first. Maybe, if the German was the one who made the first call, things would have turned out differently. The head coach factor can sway transfer decisions sometimes.
How has the move gone so far for Rowe?
The England star has found life in France a bit rough. This season, he has made 27 appearances in Ligue 1, but has started just five games. Rowe has started two games in 2025. No one can blame him for joining Marseille, he will play in the Champions League next season.
But one may wonder if he arrived instead of Largie Ramazani or Manor Solomon. Leeds could face a stumbling block with Solomon this summer, as a French side have opened talks with the forward.
