Leeds United‘s work to bolster their squad in the summer transfer window is far from done with the deadline due to pass next Tuesday night.
The Whites recently welcomed Nico Elvedi to Elland Road as their latest addition from Borussia Monchengladbach, and he was an unused substitute in the 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Whilst Daniel Farke will be pleased with a win and a clean sheet away from home on the opening day of the Premier League season, the German will want more from his side’s attack.
Anton Stach’s brilliant late free-kick papered over the cracks after Leeds failed to create a single ‘big chance’ and only generated 0.47 xG across the 90 minutes.
How the win over Forest proved Leeds need a winger
The German giant had to step up with a moment of magic in the 87th minute after Farke’s front three failed to offer much of a threat in the 86 minutes leading up to that moment.
Leeds started with a front three of Brenden Aaronson and Harry Wilson in the two wide positions behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin as the focal point up top, and they did not trouble the Forest defenders.
Wilson, who joined on a free transfer from Fulham this summer, and Aaronson both came off the pitch without creating a ‘big chance’ for the team and both came off before Stach scored the winning goal.
|
Vs Forest |
Aaronson |
Harry Wilson |
|---|---|---|
|
Minutes |
82 |
66 |
|
Touches |
31 |
24 |
|
Shots |
1 |
0 |
|
Key passes |
0 |
1 |
|
Big chances created |
0 |
0 |
|
Accurate crosses |
0 |
1 |
Last season, none of Farke’s attacking midfielders or wide players reached at least five goals and five assists in the Premier League, showing that he lacked consistent threats who could offer goals and assists on a regular basis.
The last time that the Whites had a winger who could offer goals and creativity with consistency was when they had Brazil international Raphinha in West Yorkshire in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns.
Leeds’ next version of Raphinha could solve their problems
Raphinha scored 17 goals and provided 12 assists in two seasons at Elland Road, and the club are now looking at a player with the potential to be their next version of the forward.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Leeds United need to improve their offer if they want to sign Mykhailo Mudryk from Chelsea before the end of the summer transfer window.
The £88m Ukraine international wants to remain in the Premier League and is therefore “open” to joining the Whites on loan, but there was no breakthrough in talks between the two teams over the weekend.
Chelsea are now looking elsewhere to move Mudryk on and need Leeds to offer more money and more playing time guarantees to revive talks over a deal for the winger.
He has not played a competitive match since 2024, due to a doping ban that has since been lifted after an appeal, and would be an incredibly risky signing for the Whites, as it is impossible to tell where he is at from a fitness perspective.
However, Leeds have seemingly decided that it is worth the risk, hence why they are pushing for a deal, and that may be because he has the potential to be their next Raphinha.
|
23/24 Premier League |
Mudryk per 90 |
Rank vs LWs |
|---|---|---|
|
xG |
0.25 |
Top 47% |
|
Goals |
0.29 |
Top 36% |
|
xA |
0.18 |
Top 41% |
|
Chances created |
1.83 |
Top 38% |
|
Big chances created |
0.34 |
Top 40% |
|
Successful dribbles |
2.22 |
Top 20% |
|
Dribble success rate |
55.7% |
Top 19% |
The 2023/24 campaign was the last time Mudryk played regular minutes in the Premier League before his ban, and he ranked above average in a host of attacking metrics for Chelsea.
He was above average as a goalscorer, a creator, and as a dribbler, just as Raphinha was for Leeds when he ranked in the top 42% or higher for goals, assists, and successful dribbles in the 2021/22 Premier League season.
Mudryk scored five goals and created eight ‘big chances’ in his last 19 starts in the Premier League for Chelsea, whilst he also scored three goals and provided three assists in four Conference League games in the first half of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Ukraine international, who was once described as a “dribbling monster” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has the potential to be the dual threat as a scorer and a creator of goals that Leeds have lacked since they got promoted.
However, this is based on the assumption that he can get back to the level that he previously showed and potentially surpass it, rather than looking off the pace after such a long break from the game.
That is why this is such a high-risk, high-reward, deal for Leeds. He could look short of the level required due to the length of his spell on the sidelines, or he could be the electric Raphinha-esque winger that Farke needs.
