Leeds United are one of the favourites to earn promotion to the Premier League once more and are looking to potentially weaken one of their rivals in the process this summer.
The Whites had one of the largest budgets in the Championship last season and arguably the best squad but failed to make the most of it, losing out on a return to the top-flight of English football with a 1-0 defeat in the play-off final against Southampton back in May.
This time around, the squad will look quite different. Rising star Archie Gray has moved to Tottenham Hotspur for a reported £30 million, while Joe Rodon returned to Elland Road on a permanent basis as part of the deal. Meanwhile, Glen Kamara has also left the club for £5 million just 12 months after he moved to West Yorkshire.
Furthermore, there are a number of players with uncertain futures currently still at Leeds United. Crysencio Summerville is wanted by several teams in Europe’s top-five leagues, including West Ham United and AS Roma, while Everton have reignited their interest in Wilfried Gnonto.
However, the club have still made some signings. Alongside the return of Rodon, Leeds acquired the signature of Jayden Bogle from rivals Sheffield United for £5 million but also brought in Joe Rothwell from Bournemouth on a season-long loan and re-signed former goalkeeper Alex Cairns.
Nevertheless, head coach Daniel Farke is now said to be planning an ambitious raid on one of the club’s main opponents for promotion ahead of the forthcoming campaign. According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, via MOT Leeds News, the Whites have joined the race for Norwich City midfielder Gabriel Sara this summer but face stiff competition for his signature from Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Turkish giants Galatasaray and Europa League champions Atalanta.
The 25-year-old had a tremendous spell at Carrow Road last season, scoring 14 goals and recording 13 assists in all competitions despite the Canaries missing out on a spot in the play-off final following a 4-0 defeat on aggregate to Leeds. As a result, Norwich may lose their star midfielder this summer but Farke is determined to keep him in the Championship to aid his side’s promotion bid.
Writer’s View
With Kamara now gone, it looks like Farke is keen to fill the void in his midfield with Sara who played in a double-pivot in a 4-2-3-1 under David Wagner last season in Norfolk. Hence, he would be the ideal player to form a partnership alongside Ethan Ampadu in the middle of the park.
However, with the sheer quantity of top-flight clubs reportedly in the running for the Brazilian, Leeds United may struggle to get this deal over the line, particularly if they haven’t managed to sell Summerville or Gnonto for large profits.
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