Jaidon Anthony declares his Leeds United aim and match target as Whites sign improved player

Bournemouth winger Anthony has joined Leeds on a season-long loan as part of the deal which has seen Luis Sinisterra head the other way to the Cherries. The switch was only announced at midnight on transfer deadline day after Bournemouth needed a deal sheet to allow an extra hour to get their late swoop for Sinisterra over the line.

Having featured in all three of Bournemouth’s first three games of the Premier League season, Anthony is now facing up to another crack at the Championship from which he helped fire the Cherries to promotion as 2021-22 runners-up.

In a breakthrough campaign, the former Arsenal youngster bagged eight goals and six assists to help his side to promotion, starting 38 of his side’s 46 league games and being brought on from the bench in seven others.

With plenty of Premier League experience also now under his belt, the Hackney-born winger says Leeds have bagged themselves an even better player to the one who helped fire Bournemouth to promotion – and one fully intent on now helping the Whites back to the country’s top tier.

"I feel like I have been getting better every year,” said Anthony to LUTV. "Last year was obviously a big step up and I managed to play a lot of games. Hopefully I can use that here.

"Obviously the year before last we got promoted from this division and I played a lot of games in it. I know it is a really tough league, really physical and demanding and it's really exciting to come back and try and help for another promotion.

"Obviously the goal is to get promoted, play as many games as possible, help the team and really be a big part of some success really."

Having played a big role in helping Bournemouth to promotion, Anthony then bagged himself 30 Premier League appearances last term, starting 11 games and recording his first three goals in the country’s top division as well as claiming his first assist.

The 23-year-old then impressed in pre-season this summer and started his side’s first two games of the current campaign – the 1-1 draw at home to West Ham followed by the 3-1 defeat at Liverpool. Anthony dropped to the bench for the 2-0 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in which he was brought on as a 60th-minute substitute but was then back in the XI for last Tuesday night’s 3-2 victory at Swansea City in the Carabao Cup.

All roads then led to Saturday’s Premier League clash at Brentford until the very late switch to Leeds as Sinisterra headed to the south coast with Anthony moving the other way. Anthony signed far too late to be involved for the weekend’s Championship hosting of Sheffield Wednesday but still checked in at Elland Road the following day.

"I'm really excited,” said Anthony about the new challenge ahead, speaking pitchside at Elland Road. "Obviously it's all happened really quickly but I am buzzing to get in and around the group and hopefully help the team."

The new recruit now has just under two full weeks without a game in which to familiarise himself with his new club and teammates but the winger is already setting his sights on United’s first game back after the international break at Millwall.

Anthony declared: "It's international break and I feel like it's a good time to get settled and get to know the lads and the manager and how he wants to play. Hopefully we will be ready come Millwall."