2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Leeds United news here, transfer rumours, club affairs, players, fans, etc.
Specific match discussions should go in the category below.
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Barlow Boy
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by Barlow Boy »

Robert Purnell wrote:
NottinghamWhite wrote:I know it’s the Daily Ma*l but they’re reporting that Manchester City are going to put a bid in January for Kalvin Phillips they value him at £26m :lol: seriously even if it isn’t true they should have some sanctions on how they can keep spending these vast amounts of money. It’s killing football.
I thought the same as you, however, Manchester City sold six of their lesser known players for £120 million, then they bought Jack Grealish for £100 million leaving a surplus of £20 million.

The larger clubs are using their academies as an income stream.
That’s the model for many of the clubs seems to me, we aren’t too shabby in the academy department ourselves now :thumbup:
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Tedbaker
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by Tedbaker »

Leeds United are close to signing Spanish 17-year-old Espanyol attacker Mateo Joseph Fernandez. Leeds have offered £450,000, but Espanyol want £1m.
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Leonickroberts
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by Leonickroberts »

As the dust has started to settle on Saturday's completely abject performance, how are people feeling about the squad and transfers?

For me, the problems are simple to identify, but really bloody hard to deal with:

- Squad is too small to withstand even a tiny number of injuries to first team players.
- Fundamental lack of strength in depth in that nobody who comes from the bench is better than the player they're replacing, and many are noticeably worse.
- Complete absence of creativity aside from Raphinha.
- Previously consistent players (Klich, Dallas) have completely lost form and seem to be on the downward slope to the end of their top-level careers (and as above, we have no replacements).
- Our best players are all at the front/back/wings. We don't have a genuinely, consistently good central player other than Phillips, whose role is clearly defined and deeper lying. We have failed to address this for two years.
- Confidence and mental strength seems to be shot. I can't help but think some of the core of players were effectively running on the adrenaline of Bielsa having raised their standard so much, and after 3 seasons this is now waning.
- Bamford seems to be the only player in the squad capable of scoring, which is a major problem in a side that's tactically set up to spread goals across the team. Also worrying given we've seen a number of dry spells from him previously. Given we will always give opposition teams 2-3 chances to score per match, we need to be scoring goals just to compete, let alone win. Without Raphinha (or Pablo) we just don't look like creating chances, let alone scoring.

On top of all of this is the constant frustration that the solution to all of these problems is also the creator of them, in Bielsa. He must have some idea of what's going wrong, but are we as fans totally wrong to blame the small squad size, reliance on a youthful bench, and stubborness in the transfer market? I suspect a couple of high quality loanees would make a massive amount of difference, and assume the club are looking into this, even if Bielsa isn't too keen on the idea.

I know a lot of people will say "we have enough quality to stay up", or "there are always three teams that are worse than us", but in reality we've been dire in 90% of the minutes played so far this season. If Newcastle shift Bruce and make a couple of shrewd signings they're capable of getting out of the scrap. Watford and Norwich are both terrible, but Watford are still above us. Other teams that were predicted to be in the bottom 6 or so clubs have defied expectations (Brighton, Palace). Even Wolves look better than at the start of the season. All in all, I'm genuinely really very concerned.
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PhoenixUnited
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by PhoenixUnited »

From the very beginning of the Andrea Radrizzani stewardship it has always been a case of "gently does it" and, it appears, that all trust is placed in Victor Orta. It's got us to where we are now and I don't expect that approach to change at all. If there is expectation that there will be a handful of signings in the January Transfer Window I think people are going to be very disappointed. There might only be the odd player coming in and then you have to ask yourself how long it might take for MB to decide to blood them in the First 11

The current situation is starting to become worrying (for me anyway) but I think we should not start to panic just yet. End of January in the same boat and that's when I know that we are in a shed load of trouble. In the meantime I'll try my best to appreciate and enjoy the Premier League
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TelfordLeeds
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by TelfordLeeds »

Wolves may have won at the weekend, but were poor for most of the game and scored some scrappy goals at the end to win. Jimenez is getting back to his best, but they are nothing special at the moment. With Phillips and Raphinha back and a vocal crowd, I expect a big reaction from the team and three points Saturday. Wolves have had the same problems with a small squad and injuries. I don't see anything wrong with it, apart from perservering with the the likes of Roberts, who just isn't good enough in my view. It makes the U23's a far more attractive prospect for the youngsters that Leeds have been able to attract in the last couple of years. A big squad sounds nice, but causes problems with players not getting game time and as there is a limited budget, logically the quality of the best players signed would fall. We over achieved last year in a my view, partially due to a lack of draws, with a team that is still mainly made up of a struggling Championship side before Bielsa joined. Rome wasn't built in a day, the future is still very bright.
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by guitarmark »

I think we've had an issue for a couple of years now with a player to play in front of KP - Gallagher would have been idea - Harry Winks would be good - Maybe it doesn't suit the way MB wants to play but we've never replaced Saiz - Put I dare say that position reflects MB thoughts as Pablo tended to be more wide than central in many games - But we are often overpowered in that area, be it via midfield or CB's coming out

But add to that, if KP is not available then we've always struggled - Be it White, Struijk or Koch in that role and indeed last weekend with Klich - Never ever worked with any of them - Maybe it shows the quality of KP, but the issue is that without KP we can't play the ball thru' that area from defence - Either that or change for such events to a 4-2-3-1 so more cover/options in the DM role

Would like to see Bates/Jenkins given some time in either the KP role or in front of him

Obvious to say that with out Bamford that we miss a #9, but again give Gelhardt a run

Don't see the point in having an academy if all we want/need to do is spend 20/30 million every few months - I think the strength of our U23 is reflected by how many went on international duty last week - Can anyone recall the last time we had so many out on international call ups

Sating that, is Eddie worth a shout at £10 million or so from Arsenal ?
bearskin
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by bearskin »

I'd rather have had Nketiah than Dan James if it was possible. James is Ok, but Eddie looked the bomb when on loan to LUFC.
We need a creative midfielder though don't we? What about moves for players with calibre/credentials who aren't getting appropriate game time now? Winks, Lingard, Dele Alli, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Barkley, even Juan Mata?
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mapperleywhite
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by mapperleywhite »

bearskin wrote:I'd rather have had Nketiah than Dan James if it was possible. James is Ok, but Eddie looked the bomb when on loan to LUFC.
We need a creative midfielder though don't we? What about moves for players with calibre/credentials who aren't getting appropriate game time now? Winks, Lingard, Dele Alli, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Barkley, even Juan Mata?
Wages?
Might have to take an interest in the Premier League now....
bearskin
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by bearskin »

mapperleywhite wrote: Wages?
Staying in Premier league?
blackbox2342
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Re: 2021 - 2022 Transfer Rumours and Squad Discussions

Post by blackbox2342 »

Plenty of players available for free with experience.

Paulinho, Bentaleb, Fernando (former Brazil international).

In attack frees available include Bony, Llorente and Giovanni Dos Santos.

Surely can't be worse than what we have?
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