The transfer window slammed shut last Monday without a mere flutter from Leeds United’s cheque book.
They decided not to bring any new faces to Elland Road last month but their recruitment efforts ahead of the summer are now being stepped up.
What’s the word?
The Athletic reported earlier this week that Leeds had Brest defender Romain Perraud high up on their list of players to target in the summer.
However, they could revive their January interest in another player when the window opens in a few months time.
According to Eurosport, it’s likely that Leeds will make a bid for Wolves winger Adama Traore. They claim the Spaniard has been on their radar all season and hint that added investment from the 49ers could make a deal happen.
90min reported Leeds’ initial interest in January, citing that £40m might be needed in order to prise him away from Molineux.
Shades of Raphinha
When the Brazilian signed for the Whites last summer for £17m, there was a degree of uncertainty.
He’d enjoyed just one season in Europe’s top five leagues but rarely do Leeds make an investment without years of scouting. Victor Orta had been tracking the winger since his days in Portugal and it’s safe to say his meticulous analysis has paid off.
Offensively, Raphinha has been one of their best players this season. He has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, scoring four goals and registering a further four assists in the process.
Critically, though, is that he fits Bielsa perfectly. He runs himself into the ground, presses the opposition and tracks back. His work rate is second to very few in the Leeds squad - he averages more than a tackle per game and wins 3.6 duels per match, impressive numbers for a winger.
One of the most eye-catching parts to his game is his quick feet and dribbling. So far this term, he’s managed 1.6 dribbles per game. That tally is higher than anyone in the Leeds squad.
But why is this relevant to Traore? Well, in terms of the impact they can provide in the final third they are very similar.
The Wolves forward has been dubbed “unplayable” in the past and it’s clear to see why. He has amassed a mighty 3.8 dribbles per game this term, beating players for fun with sheer pace and trickery. Already you can see the parallels between him and Raphinha.
Look at their running stats and you’ll realise what type of players the duo are. In 2020/21, no forward has made more accelerations and decelerations per 90 minutes that the dynamic Leeds winger (over 140). For context, Traore is also high up on the list, amassing just over 105 in the same metric.
Traore hasn’t scored in the Premier League for over a year so his explosive nature has become somewhat limited recently. That being said, the £43k-per-week speedster is still one of the most dangerous players in the division to deal with.