Sickening deadline day tension, Leeds United's cherry on the cake and why midfield addition wouldn't be greed - Graham Smyth

The thought that ‘it’ was happening again must have crept insidiously into the minds of Whites, that Rennes had assumed the part of Swansea and Raphinha was playing Dan James in another tragic Leeds United deadline-day drama.

The deal was always progressing, always moving in a direction that allowed Leeds to begin putting together a slick announcement video but the clock did seem to tick a little faster as the evening wore on.

Even the appearance of Angus Kinnear on live TV to tell everyone it was on track failed to entirely calm the nerves because he tacked on a caveat, a reminder that the club had been burned before.

Does he look tense? Is he just tired? Surely they wouldn’t send him out to do a live broadcast interview if it wasn’t all done and dusted, would they? So what’s taking so long? Have you seen my paper bag? I think I’m hyperventilating.

Mercifully, for all our sakes and the sanctity of an already-written YEP back page and double-page feature on Leeds’ new Brazilian winger, a deal that was completed a little after 10pm was announced at 10.30pm, rendering unnecessary the first 400 words of an alternative story on how ‘it’ had happened again.

All day we had been told that these things just take time, that the club remained confident and while there was no hugely problematic snag, suggestions of some late sellers’ remorse have been given more weight by the admission of Rennes technical director Florian Maurice that they weren’t fully sold on a sale.

Had it not gone through, there would have been a meltdown. Not because Leeds are crying out for a winger, they have plenty of wide options, but because once you float an appealing idea, it becomes nigh on impossible to accept any other outcome.

Like the rolling out of the dessert trolley in a restaurant, putting a pacey Brazilian player with delicious tricks, flicks and assists on show is enough to convince anyone that they must have something that previously hadn’t even crossed their mind.

Raphinha is very much the cherry on the Black Forest gâteau.

The Michael Cuisance situation was a little different, however, because the addition of a central midfielder does not feel remotely gluttonous.

A centre-half was a must this summer and Leeds convinced Marcelo Bielsa to have two of them, internationals at that.

Bielsa said a striker was vital, so Leeds broke their transfer record to get a very good one.

Someone who can play in the middle, in the event that Mateusz Klich’s powers of invincibility wear off just feels sensible.

It was deflating that the Cuisance deal couldn’t happen, because talent-wise he looked a fine option. It was confusing that, having been prepared to splash out £20m on him, Leeds only turned their attention to a winger before the deadline.

We know Bielsa will adapt and we know that his answer to problems is not the same one that other clubs rely on – why spend your way out of a quandary when Jamie Shackleton is right there, scuttling earnestly up and down Thorp Arch pitches.

The ability of the head coach to find solutions in the ability of players he sees with far greater regularity than the rest of us should be more comfort than it is. But the fear of the unknown is difficult to shake.

We don’t know how effective Leeds’ system would be without Klich – Bielsa himself says the Pole has a set of qualities that make him a rare species.

We don’t know when Adam Forshaw will return and although Klich appears to be made out of Kevlar, we don’t know if he can make it through another full season unscathed.

What is beyond doubt is that unless the right EFL midfielder exists and is available, one to match the technical, tactical and physical requirements of this coach, there won’t be a domestic window arrival. Bielsa will empathise with your panic but he will not panic buy.

Do not be surprised if he deems his squad an elegant sufficiency and any more additions an unsophisticated superfluity.