Paul Robinson has branded Leeds United's summer transfer business as "underwhelming" ahead of their Premier League return. The Whites have brought in four new players, adding Lukas Nmecha, Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw and Gabriel Gudmundsson to their ranks.
Bijol, Bornauw and Gudmundsson strengthen United's defensive options while Nmecha is capable of operating in a number of different attacking positions. Central midfield is an area Daniel Farke is keen to freshen up, with Newcastle United rejecting three bids for Sean Longstaff. Hoffenheim star Anton Stach is also on their transfer radar.
But former England international Robinson says his old club need to accelerate their transfer plans, with the new Premier League season set to get under way in just over a month's time. Reflecting on United's window to date, Robinson told MOT Leeds News: “It has been underwhelming. I think they’ve looked at previous promoted clubs, and it’s not the lack of goals scored, it’s the goals conceded that have been a problem, and you can see immediately that’s what they’re trying to strengthen.
“I think a lot of their recruitment is data-driven now. They look at players, and obviously there’s the manager’s test, there are a lot of people that sit around the table, they’ve got to pass the eye test as well, but I think a lot of it’s data-driven.
“I think the amount of players they’ve brought in for such a little fee, when we see Sunderland spending big, we see other teams spending big as well, £30million for that amount of players isn’t a lot of money.
“They’re players that won’t be getting Leeds fans out of the chair getting excited about next season. It’s certainly bolstering the squad. They’re quality-proven players, but actually, I think as far as transfer business-wise goes, it’s been underwhelming so far.“
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United have been linked with a plethora of goalkeepers and strikers since securing promotion to the top flight. And Robinson has spoken of the importance of the West Yorkshire outfit bolstering those two positions for the tough challenges that loom on the horizon.
“I’m surprised that they haven’t brought players in to play in those areas, but it will still be a priority," said Robinson. “It’s just difficult to get deals done, isn’t it? I think in this day and age, deals are more and more complicated due to the number of people that are involved.
“There are so many different factors that are involved, and when you’re trying to get deals for better players over the line, you’re not going to be the only one that’s trying to get the deal done for the player.
“But deals are not that straightforward. I suspect that a striker and a goalkeeper were Leeds’ priority, and I suspect that still is the case, and there’ll be deals and conversations bubbling away in the background. Should we get to a week before the season and that still hasn’t been done, then there’s cause for alarm.”
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