Leeds United's sole focus rests on winning promotion up to the Premier League come the end of the gruelling 2024/25 Championship campaign, knowing full well the crushing low of missing out on a return to the top-flight.
Last season, Daniel Farke's Whites slipped up in the second-tier playoff final to Southampton by a single goal, despite boasting some absurd talents for the level in the form of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter among other standout performers.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke applauds fans
Now, automatic promotion is the desired goal, with Leeds managing to lick their wounds at a lightning quick speed courtesy of a new breed of star emerging, as Tottenham Hotspur loanee Manor Solomon continues to stick out as a fresh, blistering attacker.
Manor Solomon's heroics at Leeds this season
Solomon had previously proven his class back at parent employers Spurs, with the 25-year-old winger picking up a promising two assists from six first-team appearances after bagging five goals from 25 games playing for Fulham.
Unfortunately for Solomon, injury difficulties sustained in North London has resulted in him being chucked out on loan to Elland Road, but he has managed to cause second tier defences all sorts of bother from minute one of his arrival.
In total, the slick number 14 has picked up a sizeable seven goals and seven assists from 31 league encounters, with only Daniel James and Joel Piroe bettering that amount in Farke's entire camp.
If promotion was to be sealed, it wouldn't be implausible to suggest that Leeds go in for Solomon on a permanent deal, with talk floating about already that the Whites could land his services for around the £20m mark.
manor-solomon-leeds-championship
Everton are also allegedly keen to snap up the skilful 5 foot 7 attacker, with Leeds presumably keeping their options wide open as to whether they could be able to strike up this deal, or whether they'd look in alternative places to replace Solomon's firepower.
One other option might see the West Yorkshire outfit bump up a talented youth product to the senior side.
Leeds could replace Solomon with homegrown star
Like a permanent swoop for Solomon wouldn't be out of the realms of possibility here, neither would the potential of Leeds deciding to uncover their next homegrown gem as his immediate replacement.
In the pipeline
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Lucas Thomas might well be the lucky 20-year-old starlet to benefit if the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk man does just return to Spurs at the end of the campaign, with the academy prodigy capable of playing all across the forward positions if called into action.
Thomas will now return to his boyhood employers at the end of the season having been exposed to the tough demands of men's football, but the exciting attacker hasn't receded into his shell out on loan at York City and FC Halifax Town, with the Crewe-born forward picking up a promising four strikes and two assists from 20 total appearances.
Coupled with his electric six strikes this campaign in Premier League 2 action with the Leeds U21s, he could soon be ready to bang down Farke's door for some senior opportunities, especially with his versatility in the forward areas seeing him line up as a striker, on top of also coming into the side down the flanks.
It's those qualities, coupled with praise from York boss Adam Hinshelwood, that generate excitement the most. "He has got a lovely left foot and definitely knows where the back of the net is," Hinshelwood stated. Versatility? Check. Lovely left foot? Check. Can score goals? Check. This could be a mini Raphinha in waiting for Leeds.
Thomas' career numbers by position
Position played
CF
RW
LW
RM
SS
AM
LM
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Looking at the table above, it would not be a huge surprise if Farke chooses to unleash Thomas into his lineups as a second-in-command presence to Piroe.
Leeds United's Manor Solomon celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates
After all, the German never looked back when first gifting Archie Gray senior chances, with Leeds perhaps saving some invaluable cash down the line by trusting Thomas to be another top star off the Thorp Arch conveyor belt.
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