Leeds United haven’t had the best start to life back in the Championship, but if Saturday’s convincing win over Watford is any indication, manager Daniel Farke may be creating a team that is ready to battle for promotion.
Despite losing a slew of first-team players, the Whites’ new faces are starting to click, with £10m signing Joel Piroe – who scored 41 league goals for Swansea City over the last two seasons – already scoring four times for his new club.
The towering Dutchman looks to have emerged as the centrepiece of what is an exciting attacking unit at Elland Road, with club-record capture Georginio Rutter finally beginning to prove his worth with a mesmerising display through the middle.
On the flanks, Farke has the pace and precision of Daniel James, who has four assists this season, as well as the fleet-footed jewel, Crysencio Summerville, who was particularly “impressive” at the weekend, according to journalist Leon Wobschall.
That superb performance came despite the Yorkshire side being without the injured Wilfried Gnonto, and it’s intriguing to think about the increased havoc that the frontline can wreak once the teenage Italian is fit and firing.
Despite the hype surrounding the 19-year-old “firework,” as defined by analyst Noel Whelan, Leeds may have had a bigger attacking talent on their hands if a move for Brennan Johnson had been completed recently.
Why Brennan Johnson was not signed by Leeds.
The club’s interest in the former Nottingham Forest player dates back to his adolescence, with ex-sporting director Victor Orta revealing that he “tried” to recruit the Tricky Trees teenager when he was just 16, albeit unsuccessfully:
“Like Brennan Johnson, he is now a Welsh international, the best young player in England’s second division.” He is already 20 years old. He has turned down both Brentford and Forest. My plan was to reach Brennan Johnson when he was 16 years old, and we tried. But that couldn’t be.”
With the England-born Wales international coming through the ranks at the City Ground, reports in January 2021 stated that Elland Road was interested in his services.
Johnson was enjoying a fruitful loan spell in the third division with Lincoln City at the time, scoring 13 goals and contributing 14 assists in just 49 games during the 2020/21 season, while also making his senior international debut.
