Leeds United spent over £100 million in the summer to improve the team ahead of their Premier League return. The club focused recruitment on buying quality players from across Europe.
Most newly-promoted teams buy players from the Championship, but Leeds decided on a different path. And that worked quite well as the team landed the likes of Jaka Bijol, Anton Stach and Dominic Calvert-Lewin among others. Two of these players have now earned a call up to their national team ahead of the World Cup due to their performances at club level.
The season is not over yet, and Leeds may still be relegated, but it looks like the 49ers are already planning for the future. Daniel Farke can still guide the team to safety with eight league games to go.
49ers interested in teenage wonderkid
Reports indicated that the club already have an eye on a new striker ahead of the summer. Leeds United are happy with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but his lack of goals since the turn of the year has them considering the future. The Whites want an option who can compete with the striker and perform at a high level as well. Leeds have a goalscoring problem and it is important to address that ahead of next season.
According to TEAMtalk, Leeds United are one of multiple clubs monitoring Hearts youngster Alfie Osborne. The 17-year old is highly rated across Europe and is a target for Arsenal and Manchester City. Leeds are among the sides monitoring the defender’s current situation. English clubs can get him for a compensation package around £250,000, which makes him a very attainable target ahead of this summer.
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Leeds United could repeat Pascal Struijk path
Osborne is a young player, and there is a lot of competition with clubs like Arsenal and City involved, but the Whites have an advantage. Leeds United have a clearer path to the first team than at ”bigger clubs”. So the 49ers have a chance to snap up a very talented player, who could follow the path of Pascal Struijk. The Dutch defender was signed from a European club, and climbed through the ranks at Thorp Arch before getting into the first team. His experience across the age level shaped him and he has now become a staple in the first team at Elland Road. Struijk is an example Osborne can look to if he decides to move to West Yorkshire this summer.
