The defeat in the playoff final at the end of last season was a body blow for Leeds United. The club were favourites to win promotion but they faced at least one more year in the Championship. The Whites were forced to sell some of their best players and carry out an overhaul of their squad while ensuring that they had a squad that would be good enough to be in the promotion conversation again this season.
Leeds sold Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray and were forced to lose Geroginio Rutter after Brighton triggered the release clause in his contract.
While the Whites were forced to break apart a team that were a whisker away from promotion, it did allow them money to spend and they could have easily just brought in players with Championship and English football experience.
Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon and Joe Rothwell were signed from English clubs but Leeds also took major gambles on Ao Tanaka and Largie Ramazani who had little to no experience of playing in the Championship.
Tanaka has been a revelation in the middle of the park and has been a constant in the team since he broke into the starting eleven and is expected to play a big role in getting them promoted to the Premier League.
Ramazani has made an impact with his tricky wing play and has been an important part of the squad despite not being a certain starter this season.
Leeds’ scouts and recruitment team deserve credit for identifying both the players and convincing the money men to make a move for them in the last summer transfer window.
While teams hoping for promotion look to go for experienced heads, Leeds decided to gamble and bring in players who had no experience of the Championship but had the talent to make an impact.
Daniel Farke responds to Chris Wilder’s ‘miles ahead’ claim
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder recently claimed that Leeds are miles ahead of his side in terms of experience and talent in the race for promotion.
Farke has given his response and was quick to remind everyone not many English clubs went for either Tanaka or Ramazani last summer when Leeds took the gamble and brought them in.
“Ao Tanaka we get him from the second tier in Germany. At least no other Premier League club, Bundesliga club or Championship club saw what we saw in him”, Farke said in a press conference.
“Largie Ramazani was relegated last season in Spain and it seems like everyone in England has forgotten about him.”
Yes, Leeds are more battle-hardened after last season but there are enough players in the Leeds squad who have not been in the heat of the Championship.
Tanaka and Ramazani are prime examples of Leeds’ recruitment gambles are paying off while Sheffield United largely focused on bringing in players with experience in English football.
Can they repeat the trick in January?
Leeds United are in a strong position going into the winter transfer window. However, there is no clarity on whether they will spend money in January.
The Leeds board are said to be prepared to make money available in January but there is an uncertainty on whether Daniel Farke wants to bring in changes.
Farke is known for being wary of affecting the internal balance of his squad but he could also be wary of bringing in someone from outside England in the middle of the season.
There is very little time in the middle of the season to let a new player to adapt to the tactics of the team and get used to the pace of the English football.
It would be far too complicated for Farke to bring in a player from outside England in January and allow him the luxury of taking his time to adapt to Leeds.
Leeds would likely favour bringing in a more experienced player who would be ready to slot straight into the team if needed.
