Leeds United can place focus solely on the efforts on the pitch following a frenetic, rollercoaster of a summer transfer window.
Having seen their spot in the Premier League severed after a dismal campaign, Leeds are seeking to finish at the upper end of the Championship table this term for an instant return to the big time.
After three years in the top-flight, the Whites understandably lost a multitude of first-teamers, with no less than 15 players leaving the club before Friday’s transfer deadline.
There have been a wealth of fresh arrivals, however, with newly-appointed manager Daniel Farke now looking to craft a successful season for the distinguished west Yorkshire outfit.
Who did Leeds sign this summer?
There is a very different feel to this Leeds side now that the roiling waves of the summer market have calmed, with promotion specialist Farke – who has twice taken Norwich City out of the second tier – trimming the bloated squad down.
Having made nine acquisitions across the past few months, the German will be hoping for a more unified, cohesive squad than the team that has struggled for form and fluidity over the past several campaigns.
The likes of Joe Rodon, Sam Byram and Djed Spence have been signed to bolster the backline, while Karl Darlow has been landed to provide competition for the under-fire shot-stopper Illian Meslier; the versatile Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara have been brought in to strengthen the midfield.
With star striker Rodrigo among the departees, Farke will have known the importance of signing a sufficient replacement, and while there was an interminable period of anxious wait for the Whites faithful, patience was rewarded with the signing of Swansea City striker Joel Piroe, worth in excess of £10m.
Is Joel Piroe a striker?
According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, Farke told the 49ers Enterprises – the club owners – that scoring at least 75 goals is paramount to the outfit’s chances of an instantaneous return to the Premier League, and a sure-fire way to achieve that is by securing the services of a clinical striker.
Piroe is the man for the job, with the Dutchman proving to be one of the Championship’s most prolific forwards across the past two campaigns, scoring 23 goals across the 2021/22 term before netting 20 last season.
There was much talk over his future with Swansea this summer, with Leeds battling against fellow relegated teams Leicester City and Southampton for his signature, with Everton also interested.
