Exclusive:Leeds United sent transfer message with Harvey Elliott example & 'we need' verdict
A former Leeds United striker has pinpointed two areas of Daniel Farke's squad that need strengthening.
Leeds United legend Jermaine Beckford has identified two areas of Daniel Farke’s squad that must be strengthened this summer.
The Whites look set for another important transfer window as they aim to build on an impressive 14th-place Premier League finish. Farke’s side surpassed pre-season expectations by racking up 47 points as a summer of shrewd recruitment bore fruit.
Free agents Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha proved to be great business while pricier additions like Anton Stach and Jaka Bijol justified their price-tags. But Leeds did miss out on a creative right-wing/No.10 profile following their failed pursuit of Harry Wilson.
That was the only major blot on last year’s recruitment while a January move for Jorgen Strand Larsen - who eventually joined Crystal Palace - suggested a new striker was on the shopping list. And Beckford believes both positions should be revisited this summer.
“I think we need a creative player, somebody that plays in the 10 role,” he told the YEP, via Gambling.com who specialise in comparing trustworthy UK casinos. “Somebody that can play in between the lines and create opportunities for the strikers, like a Harry Wilson or a Harvey Elliott type.
“And we need another number nine to really push Dom and Lukas to the next level. But look, there's an argument to say we could strengthen every single position, that’s just the way the Premier League is. You want the best for your club, and the only way to get the best for your club is by improving all the time.”
Improving is exactly what Leeds will look to do next season, although chairman Paraag Marathe has already warned of the challenges teams can often face in their second season back in the Premier League. Consolidation will be the aim but this season has shown how tight things can be in mid-table.
Leeds United ‘possibilities are endless’
Had things gone differently on the final day, Leeds could have finished the season one point behind fellow newly-promoted side Sunderland. Instead, Farke’s side sat in lower mid-table while the Black Cats secured a Europa League place in seventh. The Whites were six points off Europa Conference League qualifiers Brighton.
“Leeds want to be in the Premier League for the long run, but they don't just want to exist in the Premier League,” former striker Beckford added. “They want to push for bigger and better things.
“When you look at what Sunderland have been able to achieve this first season, getting into Europe, you look at Bournemouth, you look at how close Brentford have been, the opportunities are there for everybody. You just have to turn some losses into draws and some draws into victories, that's where a mid-table or top-half finish comes from.
“You never know, there might be a shout for European football next season. It all depends on recruitment. We already know we've got the right type of manager who plays the right type of football, we know we've got the best fans in the world. You put these things together, and the possibilities are endless.”