Leeds United are taking giant strides towards ensuring they earn automatic promotion to the Premier League this season. Monday night’s win over Sunderland further burnished their credentials as the outstanding team of this season’s Championship. They are even being touted to win the league this year, even by rival managers. The talk of automatic promotion has led to speculation over Leeds’ summer business and what they would need to do to build a squad good enough to survive in the top flight. The club are almost certain to bring in a striker who has Premier League experience and one of their touted targets is claimed to have plans for the next transfer window.
Pascal Struijk’s double strike towards the end of the game against Sunderland seems to have decisively turned the race for automatic promotion towards Leeds United.
They now have a seven-point lead over teams outside the top two and if they get a positive result against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane next Monday night, they could be poised to win the league.
There is real anticipation of Leeds getting back to the Premier League and they are being backed to buck the trend of promoted teams struggling in their first season back in the top flight.
Leeds would have to carry out an overhaul of their squad in the summer if they get promoted and signing a striker is likely to be on their agenda in the next transfer window.
Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson is one of the players the club are tracking and he is likely to be available on a free transfer in the next window.
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Newcastle are not expected to extend his contract and the forward is now almost certain to move on from St. James’ Park on a free transfer in the summer.
Journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that several clubs are keeping tabs on his situation at Newcastle and no one is expecting him to stay at the club.
He claimed that clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States are interested in him, but Wilson would prefer to stay in England and the Premier League before considering other offers.
However, Bailey stressed that while clubs wanting some experience have their eyes on Wilson, his injury record over the last few years is likely to be a problem.
“Obviously teams are assessing him ahead of the summer”, Bailey told the Geordie Boot Boys.
“We know he is probably going to leave Newcastle. There is not 100% confirmation of that just yet, but I do not think anyone is expecting him to stay – even himself. They are ready to move on.
“My understanding is that he would like to stay in England. There is interest from the Saudi Pro League and the MLS, but he is quite keen to stay in England as it stands.
“There will be clubs that want a bit of experience, so he ticks that box. Obviously, his injury situation does not help, but we will see what comes up for him. He may even change his mind on going abroad nearer the time.”
Leeds must be more cautious in the summer
Poor recruitment was one of the biggest reasons why Leeds got relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 season.
Victor Orta remains a controversial figure for Leeds fans for some of the expensive mistakes he committed as the director of football once Leeds got promoted to the top flight.
Leeds’ recruitment team would hope to turn over a fresh page this summer if they go up and be more judicious and careful with whom they sign in the next window.
The club will have a bigger budget if they get promoted but the pot will not be unlimited and they need to be smarter with their signings in the summer.
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Wilson on a free transfer is an attractive proposition due to his experience in the Premier League and proven track record but the club must take his injury record into account.
He has started just one game in all competitions this season and has had several injury layoffs at Newcastle in the last couple of years and most of them were muscle injuries.
The forward would command a hefty wage package and Leeds are already paying a top salary to Patrick Bamford without getting anything in return due to his injury issues.
Leeds would need the money to be on the pitch consistently and not the treatment table if they earn promotion to the Premier League.
