Leeds United pursuit of priority target reveals 'unlikely' theme of vital summer recruitment

The Whites have tabled an offer believed to be in the region of £22m for Strasbourg youngster Habib Diarra, who found the net during Senegal's famous 3-1 victory over England at the City Ground earlier this week. A box-to-box midfielder, Diarra made his breakthrough in Ligue 1 as a precocious teenager and has racked up 91 league appearances already. His profile, potential and experience have made him a target for more clubs than just Leeds this summer, hence their feeling that other targets will be easier to obtain.

That admission on the club's behalf however has caused concern within the fanbase and begged a natural question - why waste time going after targets you won't or might not get? Leeds will not be able to exercise the same patience as they did last summer when it comes to the rebuild of Daniel Farke's squad. They plan to strengthen the core of the side, which almost inevitably means adding at least five significant players and the earlier they arrive the better. Farke, like any manager, will want his new faces in as quickly as possible so that Leeds can hit the ground running and not charge headlong into a punch in the face like recent newly-promoted sides. And with that hanging in the air as the transfer window proper prepares to open next week, is time spent pursuing 'unlikely' targets going to be costly?

Leeds’ PSR consideration

The first thing to say is that Leeds, while aware of the need to be efficient with their time, have not completed any business just yet. They had targets and shortlists prepared prior to April but were never likely to start splashing the cash prior to the end of the Profitability and Sustainability Rules [PSR] reporting period on June 30. Unlikely last year, when Leeds had to make a sale and parted with Archie Gray in order to stay clear of PSR trouble, they are not currently in a position where they have to shift anyone on before July. Making signings right now is not impossible, even if the club's PSR position is tight - as chairman Paraag Marathe always wants it to be due to their desire to spend every penny possible - because the way transfers are paid for and the amortisation of sums means that they would not be shelling out millions upon millions all at once. But deals are far likelier to be scheduled for July 1 or completed after that date as the summer progresses. And deals are being worked on and thrashed out in the hope that Farke can be given some of their top targets as soon as is possible and practical.

Secondly, from conversations the YEP has had with club sources, there is an acknowledgement among the transfer decision makers that Leeds could go out and get available players right now but they need additions who will make the difference between the relegation zone and 17th place. They need serious quality. Last summer the same stance led them to bide their time and reap the reward, keeping more obtainable Championship-level targets in their back pocket until they managed to get deals for Ao Tanaka and Manor Solomon done in late August. This summer, as already mentioned, they cannot afford to wait so long for vital pieces of the puzzle but targets who might be considered a reach, like Diarra, are right now at the start of the summer considered worthwhile investments in terms of time and energy because they might turn out to be obtainable. And if, having chased several such targets, one or two at the very top of the positional shortlists can be brought in and make the difference that Leeds' scouts, data analysts and Farke believe they can in order to win the requisite number of games needed to stay up, then the juice will have been worth the squeeze and the wait.

Multiple midfield targets

One of the views within the corridors of Elland Road and Thorp Arch is that fans would rather Leeds show ambition and go after the very best players possible, even if the door is only slightly ajar, in the hope that their 'big club' sell and future plans will get their foot in and allow them to budge ahead of other suitors. At the same time, the YEP understands that certain players, via their agents, have simply said an outright no to the idea of playing for a newly-promoted Premier League club and Leeds have duly and swiftly moved on.

The whole point of a shortlist, though, is to give the club options and prevent them from getting caught in a transfer cul-de-sac waiting on a player who ultimately goes elsewhere. Multiple deals can be worked on at once even if just one will be brought over the line. Leeds can be chasing Diarra and talking to other clubs about box-to-box midfielders yet to be named in the public domain, so that if the Senegal international's agent or Strasbourg close the door the Whites can simply bump the next name up the priority list and pull the trigger on a deal. In such circumstances keeping your cards close to your chest, as is the 49ers Enterprises way generally, makes sense.

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With all of this there is obviously a risk. That's the name of the game in recruitment. Failing to get Diarra, now that their interest is public and now that supporters have taken a shine to him in a week when he scored against the Three Lions, will look like that very thing - failure. A blow. A set-back. Time that was not well spent. There are worse fates than a bloody nose, though and even if they know they could lose out in a specific transfer battle, Leeds are willing to try.

Ultimately, regardless of whether it's Diarra or A.N. Other, Leeds' recruitment is not going to be judged on the speed of its execution, the capture of targets once considered unlikely or how lofty an ambition it all appears to represent. When this summer is viewed in retrospect with the benefit of whatever evidence 38 top flight fixtures provided, then the court of public opinion will be able to decide if a pursuit of a player like Diarra was worthwhile ambition or folly. Games of football and their results will be the judge, the Premier League table the jury.