This season is set to be an enthralling one for Leeds United. They’ve had a year back in the Premier League to acclimatise themselves and they’ll soon have supporters back inside Elland Road too.
Junior Firpo is their landmark addition so far while Jack Harrison has finally penned permanent terms in Yorkshire.
What’s the word?
One saga that’s been running nearly as long as Rodrigo de Paul to Leeds is a potential swoop for Nahitan Nandez.
Leeds have been linked with the Uruguayan dominator since last summer and now they’re weighing up whether to consider a move again.
That’s according to La Nuova Sardegna (via Sport Witness) who suggest that this is a defining week in their chase of the midfielder.
Cagliari are set to determine the future of Nandez and whether they wish to sell the player.
The report mentions Leeds but any potential deal could be quite pricey with the 25-year-old’s release clause standing at €36m (£30m).
Imagine him & Phillips
If the Whites decided to pursue a record-breaking deal for Nandez then it could make the middle of Leeds’ team incredibly difficult to break down.
Kalvin Phillips is the beating heart and the engine room of this Leeds side and has taken his game to a new level for England this summer.
He started every single game for England at the European Championships and he assisted Raheem Sterling’s opening goal of the tournament by breaking up the play in a typically robust fashion.
Leeds lack depth beyond Phillips though, and Nandez could add some extra bite and steel.
Described as a “machine” by Serie A expert Conor Clancy, the Uruguay international is a brutal presence in the middle of the park.
Possessing a wide range of qualities, he’d be perfect for Bielsa. Nandez played a hand in four goals in the league last season while producing 1.8 tackles and 1.2 dribbles per game.
Dynamic on the ball but ruthless in the challenge, he is a rare breed. Only Phillips and Dallas registered more tackles in the middle of the park last term, for instance.
As for dribbles, Raphinha was the only player to record more per match than the Leeds target last season.
Speaking about his form in 2020/21, journalist Mina Rzouki said: "Cagliari’s Nandez is one of the most underrated players. God, he’s been so amazing, especially in Cagliari’s last 3 games. He scored the equaliser against Napoli. Man of the match in the win against Udinese. Against Roma - just wow. Unstoppable."
With that in mind, he’d be a fabulous capture for the Yorkshire side, one that could help form a supreme duo in central areas.