According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, Leeds United’s transfer business will “highly likely” “run to the wire” this summer
The Whites’ hierarchy has now been established during a summer of massive change, with Paraag Marathe being confirmed as chairman as the 49ers takeover became official, and new boss Daniel Farke intent on having a “big influence” on activity done throughout the window.
Sporting director Victor Orta left last season, and Nick Hammond was brought in with a permanent appointment planned for “October.” However, Gretar Steinsson was “impressive enough” in his interview to be appointed as technical director this week (18 July), and the three-man team will be central to the remaining deals, but the dynamic has certainly shifted.
“The German is expected to work closely with Steinsson and Hammond on that front, but he will not be dictated to when it comes to which players to take,” Hay writes in The Athletic on Friday morning (21 July). Leeds’ £7 million ($9 million) signing from Chelsea, Ethan Ampadu, was approached with Farke’s approval. That will be the case for the rest of the summer…
“A crucial to the model’s success will be Steinsson’s relationship with Farke, who, as previously said, plans to have a significant influence on the reconstruction of his squad for the Championship…
“For the time being, the priority for him, Steinsson, and Farke is to add to the acquisition of Ampadu and use the remainder of the window to make United competitive in the Championship.” It is a time when transfer transaction is very likely to go to the wire.”
It happens less and less in modern football, but Leeds United are coming off a horrible season in which Orta’s sourcing of players for the manager went disastrously wrong.
Hay emphasized the decision to sign Georginio Rutter for a club-record amount during the January transfer window when then-boss Jesse Marsch wanted Hwang Hee-chan, and the trade will now be associated with the Spaniard’s stay at the club and the insanity of the season.
The new ownership is definitely going in a different path, and in Farke, they have arguably hired a manager in whom they will have more faith than any manager since Marcelo Bielsa.
He has the credentials to be a success in the Championship, so it should be a positive thing that his judgments will be key to the transfer market, assuming Marathe does not repeat his predecessor’s mistake of cycling through managers with abandon as he did last season.
On the surface, Ampadu appears to be a very sound first signing for Farke, but he will need a lot more like him before the new season begins, and possibly after.
Last season, it was a scramble on deadline day that saw the improbable success story of Willy Gnonto arrive, and with everything being delayed this year, it appears viewers are in for another day of late drama.
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