As part of Leeds United’s efforts to become a dominant force in the Premier League, the hierarchy invested over £90m worth of funds into the senior ranks last summer.
The vast majority of the funds were invested in the defensive department, with James Trafford and Tarik Muharemovic arriving from Manchester City and Sassuolo respectively.
However, the board somewhat neglected the attacking department, and it has left the Whites short of elite-level talent – something which couldn’t be said during their previous stint in the top-flight.
Why Raphinha is Leeds’ best signing in recent history
The summer of 2020 saw Leeds need to invest in top talent to fend off an immediate return to the Championship, which resulted in winger Raphinha joining the club for £18m from Stade Rennais.
At the time, the Brazilian attacker was an unknown quantity to a large portion of supporters, but it didn’t take the 29-year-old long to showcase his talents at Elland Road.
He racked up a total of 67 appearances during his two years in Yorkshire, and managed to score 17 goals – including the one which clinched survival on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign.
His talents in attacking areas also saw him provide 12 assists for his teammates, with the aforementioned tally the highest of any player during his period in England.
His 29 goal contributions undoubtedly played a vital role in the Whites’ ability to remain in the Premier League and allow a generation of fans to witness their team in the best league in the world.
|
Leeds PL top scorers (2020-2022) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
Total |
|
1 |
Patrick Bamford |
17 |
2 |
19 |
|
2 |
Raphinha |
6 |
11 |
17 |
|
3 |
Jack Harrison |
8 |
8 |
16 |
|
4 |
Rodrigo |
7 |
6 |
13 |
|
5 |
Stuart Dallas |
8 |
1 |
9 |
|
6 |
Mateusz Klich |
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
7= |
Dan James |
0 |
4 |
4 |
|
7= |
Diego Llorente |
1 |
3 |
4 |
Raphinha’s departure to Barcelona in the summer of 2022 was a disappointing one for the fanbase, but to this day, his £55m deal remains the highest fee received for a player in the club’s history.
Why Farke needs his own Raphinha in 2026/27
Since his subsequent move to Spain, Raphinha has taken his career to astronomical levels, with the forward already scoring 19 times in his 13 outings across all competitions this campaign.
Current Leeds boss Farke didn’t have the opportunity to work with the Brazilian at Elland Road and will undoubtedly wish he could call upon a player of his quality.
At present, the German’s best attacking option is centre-forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has registered 18 goals in the top-flight during the 50-year-old’s tenure.
However, away from the England international, very few other forward options have been able to deliver the goods, as seen by the record of no other player being able to register more than one goal this term.
His side have only netted nine times in the Premier League throughout 2026/27, with Calvert-Lewin alone bagging 44% of the Whites’ goals this campaign.
How Leeds can secure their next Raphinha this winter
With the January window now appearing on the horizon, the Leeds hierarchy have now turned their attention to how they can secure added attacking reinforcements.
Liverpool star Harvey Elliott is one name currently on their shortlist, with the Englishman set to return to Merseyside after his latest unsuccessful spell at LaLiga outfit Valencia.
Despite the interest in the 23-year-old, other options are being considered, with Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara once again a player who has caught the eye of the recruitment team.
It’s been reported by TEAMtalk that the Whites are once again starting to explore a move for the attacking midfielder, ahead of the winter window opening.
They claim that the 27-year-old is a long-standing transfer target, with the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Everton also keen on a possible deal.
However, a move could well be an expensive one, as the Turkish outfit are said to be demanding €40m (£32m) to offload the Brazilian in the months ahead.
Such a deal would see the Whites land their next version of Raphinha, with the attacker emulating his compatriot in moving to Elland Road from another European outfit.
His stats from the current campaign also demonstrate his quality within attacking areas and showcase how he can emulate the now Barcelona star’s efforts in Yorkshire.
In Turkey this season, Sara has managed to create an average of 4.4 chances per 90 – a figure which is higher than that of Raphinha and 98% of other attackers across Europe.
His talents in possession are further highlighted by his big chance creation average, with his tally of 0.9 per 90 the highest of any player in Europe this campaign.
The Brazilian’s set-piece ability has also allowed him to register four assists and complete 37% of his crosses – with the latter seeing him beat 95% of other attackers across the continent.
Even out of possession, he could have a huge impact on Farke’s side, as the Galatasaray star has managed to win the ball back 1.1 times per 90 in the final third – backing up Ben Mattinson’s claim that he’s an “outstanding” talent.
Such an asset could make him the perfect fit for the manager’s high-intensity and hand the German his very own version of Raphinha during his tenure in Yorkshire.
£32m for a player of his quality in the modern day would be a phenomenal piece of business and one which could push the club closer to the European places.
Should he make the move to Yorkshire and get anywhere near the levels of Raphinha, it would be the latest in a long line of expert deals conducted by the hierarchy.
