Victor Orta reveals three key things Leeds United assess before signing a new player

Leeds United's director of football Victor Orta has revealed the three key things that the Whites assess before making any move for a player in the transfer market.
Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (right) and Marcelo Bielsa (left).Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (right) and Marcelo Bielsa (left).
Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (right) and Marcelo Bielsa (left).

United had a busy summer of incomings and outgoings at Thorp Arch with no less than 29 players heading out of the training ground gates for the final time.

The Spaniard also oversaw 10 new arrivals landing in LS11 with permanent big name signings such as left-back Barry Douglas and striker Patrick Bamford.

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Orta, who is in his second season with the club, has now lifted the lid on the criteria he and his team assess before making any moves in the market.

Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (right) and Marcelo Bielsa (left).Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (right) and Marcelo Bielsa (left).
Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (right) and Marcelo Bielsa (left).

"One of my most important tasks is the signing of new players. I would say that the signing of new players is 70% of my job," Orta told SciSports.

"To minimalize the likelihood of a new signing that will ‘fail’, we have three criteria that we take into consideration while analysing a player: the technical level, psychological level and the level of transition.

Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino, Diego Simeone, Tata Martino - what Marcelo Bielsa's 'disciples' have all said about the Leeds United head coach"The technical level of a player is easy to recognise by watching him play. The psychological level is a little harder to determine. The level of transition is the most important criterion in my opinion, but also the most difficult to measure.

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"The level of transitions measures if the player is able to reach the same level of performance in a new environment. The real talent lies in the level of transition."

Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (left) with summer signing Barry Douglas (left).Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (left) with summer signing Barry Douglas (left).
Leeds United director of football Victor Orta (left) with summer signing Barry Douglas (left).

Orta, who came in for a lot of criticism last season in his player recruitment from the Whites faithful, also said data is a big part of his recruitment process: "I would never determine if a player is capable of playing for our club based on data only. But at the same time, I would never determine the capabilities of the player without using data.

"I would use a mix of data and own knowledge and expertise to determine whether a player is capable or not. Data should be helpful and useful and it is not smart to waste available data by not using it."