Arsenal and Spurs 'target', £34m striker - AI spends £100m Leeds United transfer budget on 4 key positions
Leeds United are preparing for what chairman Paraag Marathe has described as the most important summer ‘in decades’.
An exciting summer is on the cards at Elland Road as Leeds United chiefs recruit for their Premier League return. Early plans will have been in place for several weeks and confirmation of promotion last month appears to have set the wheels in motion, with reports emerging of interest in several players across a number of positions.
Leeds will require reinforcements across the board but as Sky Sports reported on Wednesday amid links to Everton striker Beto, some positions will take priority, with top-level additions in goal, central defence, midfield and upfront an absolute must. Sky Sports also reported Elland Road recruitment chiefs could have a transfer war chest worth around £100million, with up to £30m set aside for each of the above positions.
How Leeds strengthen the spine of their team could go a long way to deciding their fate next season, with chairman Paraag Marathe recently admitting this is the most important summer in West Yorkshire for decades. And with that in mind, the YEP has tasked Artificial Intelligence tool Grok with sourcing a possible option for each of those four key areas that could come in at less than £30m.
Goalkeeper - Carl Rushworth
Grok said: “Leeds United could consider Carl Rushworth from Brighton, valued at around £5m, making him a cost-effective and young option at 23 years old. Brighton's depth in goalkeeping might make him available for transfer.”
YEP verdict: Rushworth is yet to make a first-team appearance in six years at Brighton and was sent on loan to Hull City before an early recall to cover for the injured Jason Steele on the bench. The Athletic report he could look to leave this summer and other reports have suggested he could be available for around £5m, as stated by Grok.
Rushworth is a very promising young goalkeeper and one on the radar of Brighton’s Premier League rivals, having played for England at youth level and impressed across his many loan spells. But perhaps it might be smart for Leeds to look at someone with more top-flight experience, whether that be in England or across Europe.
Centre-back - Tosin Adarabioyo
Grok said: “Tosin Adarabioyo from Chelsea, with a market value of about £17m, could be a solid choice. At 27, he brings Premier League experience, and Chelsea's squad depth suggests he might be open to a move.”
YEP verdict: Adarabioyo only joined Chelsea as a free agent last summer but the centre-back has been unable to nail down a first-team place, starting 13 Premier League games with Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill undisputed first-choice at present. The 27-year-old has plenty of top-flight experience and was hugely impressive at previous club Fulham.
Chelsea are expected to spend big again this summer and should a new first-choice centre-back come in, it's not impossible to see them cash in on Adarabioyo, particularly given any sale will be pure profit as he joined them for free. The £17m price-tag might be a little optimistic, however, given TBR Football recently reported hope at Stamford Bridge the former Fulham man and Chalobah could leave for a combined £50-60m.
Central Midfielder - Enzo Millot
Grok said: “Enzo Millot from Stuttgart, with a release clause of around £17m, seems like a promising midfielder. At 22, his youth and fixed price fit Leeds' budget and long-term plans.”
YEP verdict: Attacking midfielder Millot has enjoyed another productive campaign at Stuttgart, with five goals and four assists in 27 Bundesliga games, and the 22-year-old was outstanding last season as his side finished second in the league, above Bayern Munich. He is also expected to move elsewhere this summer, with Florian Plettenberg reporting on an intriguing release clause worth around £17m.
The big issue for a team like Leeds would be competition, with promising youngster Millot touted as a possible target for the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid this year. There have also been reports of ill-discipline, something Daniel Farke simply won’t tolerate.
Striker - Santiago Castro
Grok said: “Santiago Castro from Bologna, valued at £21.3-25.5m, is a young striker at 20, offering potential for growth. His valuation fits within the budget, making him a strategic signing for future development.”
YEP verdict: Bologna remain in with a shot at Champions League qualification and have eight-goal-and-four-assist striker Castro to thank, with the 20-year-old enjoying an excellent second year in Italy. The Argentinian youth international is attracting plenty of attention and has been compared to countryman Lautaro Martinez, whose Inter Milan side are in the Champions League final.
However, that likeness has piqued the interest of Inter, with Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport reporting on interest which has since been all but confirmed by their vice-president Javier Zanetti. Furthermore, Grok’s valuation of around £25m appears optimistic, with La Gazzetta claiming Bologna will demand at least €40m (£33.9m) for their frontman.
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