Polkadot wrote:To give a verdict on Orta I’ve tried to gather every player we’ve spent money on buying since Orta came in by the end of the 16-17 season.
17/18
Forshaw
Saiz
Jansson
Roberts
Alioski
Klich
De Bock
Sacko
Cibicki
Grot
Ideguchi
Ekuban
Halme
Wiedewald
Of the first 6 everyone but Saiz must be considered clearly successful. Also Saiz was a decent signing, things just didn't work out the right way for him to be considered really a successful signing.
Below the top 6 here there are a lot of crap, but they were also pretty cheap all of them. Low risk, potentially high reward (but no reward this time)
18/19
Bamford
Douglas
Bogusz
Casilla
Overall decent. Bamford big success, Casilla (the big signing) not really a success looking at expectations and salaries.
19/20
No real signings, but White, Augustin and Nketiah in on loan which should be considered.
White
Nketiah
Augustin
White was amazing, Nketiah mediocre and Augustin a disaster.
20/21
Rodrigo
Llorente
Raphinha
Helder Costa (was on loan before)
Koch
Meslier (was on loan before)
Gelhardt
21/22
James
Firpo
Harrison (was on loan before)
Klaesson
During this period the following players came also for free or for almost nothing via the U23 setup and have been appearing at the first team several times. Some of these Orta surely was involved in, others I don’t know:
Struijk
Summerville
Greenwood
Hjelde
Drameh
Poveda
Davis
In general, I think the main problem is that the expensive signings (Rodrigo, James, Llorente, Costa, Firpo) has been failing.
If we set Harrison as the border and look at the 5 signings more expensive than him (Rodrigo, James, Llorente, Raphinha, Costa, Firpo) there has been only 1 of the 6 that has been clearly a success. Also Augustin could be counted here as he was a potential very expensive signing, which failed massively.
This, the big signings, is the failed part of Orta's career at Leeds.
When it comes to players costing smaller transfer sums, I think Orta's rate of "good signings" are pretty good. To me that indicates that he is more suited for teams and leagues where there are less money availible (for example a bottom half La Liga team or a Championship team).
So, IF we get relegated I don't necessarily thinks Orta is the wrong man for rebuilding a competent Championship squad. But I don't think he should be the man building our (next) Premier League squad.