Leeds United are in the market for an attacking midfield profile this summer. Here the YEP offers their cut-price suggestion.
Leeds are likely to have added a No. 10 in January, had there been one which satisfied Daniel Farke's criteria. The manager wanted a 'specialist' to challenge Brenden Aaronson and since United's title-winning promotion back to the Premier League, that desire is unlikely to have changed.
The Whites are expected to do extensive business this summer, not least due to the fact extensive business is required simply to be competitive in the Premier League during 2025/26. Farke's side has, at the time of writing, lost the set-piece prowess and line-breaking midfield qualities of on-loan midfielder Joe Rothwell, and 10-goal, 12-assist winger Manor Solomon.
The latter will report back at Tottenham Hotspur this summer, although his future in North London is anything but secure with varying reports regarding his availability. Nevertheless, even if Leeds do seek a permanent deal for Solomon after his successful loan stint, that is not a deal they are likely to conclude cheaply. The Israel international has three years left on his Spurs deal and with 22 goal contributions as part of a title-winning side last season, is not short of suitors.
On the transfer front, Leeds have been relatively quiet in terms of credible links before the window officially opens next month, but work is very much in progress behind the scenes. The club's recruitment team will have been working on potential targets in the event of promotion long before Farke's group clinched it five weeks ago.
As with all teams in England's top two divisions this summer, clubs are bound by Profitability and Sustainability regulations (PSR) and Leeds, after reporting a £60 million loss for the 2023/24 season, are no different. Whilst a recent £120 million cash injection courtesy of a share issue by majority owner 49ers Enterprises will aid in the running costs of what is once again a Premier League club, the Whites' budget is finite. Therefore, where discounted deals can be pursued, targeted and exploited, they should do so.
Where does this little-known playmaker currently feature?
Leeds are known to have scouted Germany extensively since Farke's arrival at the club in July 2023. Ilia Gruev and Ao Tanaka arrived from Werder Bremen and Fortuna Dusseldorf, respectively, in consecutive summers, while other targets such as Roland Szallai and Dejan Ljubicic were discussed at the highest levels of Leeds recruitment circles - all of whom played their football in Farke's homeland.
This summer, Leeds are likely to pursue more players from the country, particularly the Bundesliga, which is Germany's top flight.
Those familiar with the league system will be aware that the team finishing third-bottom of the Bundesliga face off against the third-place finishers in the 2. Bundesliga, a division below. Germany's second tier does not follow the same four-team promotion play-off system as England. Instead, its third-best team over the course of the season must go head-to-head with the top flight's third-worst with the victor taking their place among the elite for the following campaign.
This year, 1. FC Heidenheim of the top flight took on 2. Bundesliga minnows SV Elversberg, narrowly retaining their Bundesliga status for another season, largely due to the efforts of a little-known playmaker.
Twenty-six-year-old Leo Scienza was the star over two legs, assisting one of Heidenheim's goals in the first match, which was drawn 2-2 at the Bundesliga club's ground. Their second goal on the night came as a result of the Brazilian-born attacker's shot being parried into the path of goalscorer Mathias Honsak. Four days later, Scienza assisted again to help Heidenheim take the lead at Elversberg, who equalised on the half-hour mark, before scoring the winner with seconds of added time remaining.
Scienza celebrates his winning goal against ElversbergScienza celebrates his winning goal against Elversberg
Scienza celebrates his winning goal against Elversberg | Getty Images
What is Scienza's background?
The 2024/25 campaign was Scienza's first in a top five European league. He played youth football in Brazil, briefly switching to Uruguay, before beginning his professional career with provincial side Clube Esportivo Lajeadense. A move to Europe materialised when low-level Swedish club Fanna BK picked him up in 2019, followed by a transfer to FC Schalke 04's 'B' team, who compete in Germany's fourth tier.
Having struggled to break into the first-team in Gelsenkirchen, Scienza joined FC Magdeburg but appeared only fleetingly in 2. Bundesliga, before dropping into their 'B' team, in Germany's sixth tier. However, since the beginning of the 2023/24 season, Scienza's stock has been on the rise, exponentially so.
A free transfer to SSV Ulm yielded 12 goals and 15 assists in one 3. Liga season, consequently clinching promotion to 2. Bundesliga. Instead of competing in Germany's second tier this past year, he was signed by Heidenheim last summer for an approximate £500,000, who had unexpectedly finished in the European places.
While the club have struggled this season, only securing their top flight status with the final kick of the Bundesliga promotion-relegation play-off, Scienza's first year among the elite has gone well. But, the player has largely gone unnoticed.
Why should Leeds take notice of Scienza?
Across Europe's top five leagues (Premier League, Bundesliga, LaLiga, Serie A and Ligue 1), only three players averaged more shot-creating actions per 90 than the Heidenheim playmaker. For every 90 minutes Scienza spent on the pitch throughout 2024/25, he was helping to create 6.39 shots, either for himself or his teammates by winning fouls, dribbling past opponents, tackling high up the pitch or simply passing.
Only Michael Olise, Isco and Rayan Cherki averaged more, all of whom more are highly-renowned in European football, as per FBRef.com.
Scienza won 18 fouls for Heidenheim which led directly to a shot attempt, three more than any other player across Europe's top five leagues - and yet there is little fanfare for the playmaker.
What type of player is Scienza?
The Brazilian is a short bursts type of player, making an impact on games even when brought on from the bench, which accounts for roughly half of his Bundesliga appearances last season.
He is very adept at progressing the ball by dribbling, winning fouls as mentioned and doing so in dangerous areas - all attributes which Solomon came to be known for at Elland Road.
Additionally, Scienza is accomplished from dead ball situations, much like Rothwell. Twenty of his shot-creating actions for Heidenheim this season were from such scenarios, which sees him rank within the top 75 of players across Europe's top five leagues for that particular metric. Considering he only played just over 1,000 minutes and the dataset includes close to 3,000 players, that is some going.
Leo Scienza prepares to take a free-kick for HeidenheimLeo Scienza prepares to take a free-kick for Heidenheim
Leo Scienza prepares to take a free-kick for Heidenheim | Getty Images
He can be impactful, too. Three of his six goal contributions for Heidenheim this season came from the bench; an assist versus Bayern Munich, as well as a goal and assist against Werder Bremen across two fixtures.
Throughout his career, Scienza has played across the front line but mainly as a left-winger, cutting inside onto his right foot, which Solomon certainly had a penchant for. He has also played centrally for Heidenheim, albeit as part of a 3-4-2-1 setup as one of two No. 10s in the fixtures against Elversberg.
A flighty player, Scienza has proven to be difficult to dispossess despite his stature, which is similar but not identical to Aaronson's. The Brazilian was dispossessed on average once every 90 minutes when being tackled by opponents, keeping hold of the ball, or more likely winning a foul for his team. Leeds' American No. 10, on the other hand, was dispossessed on average three times per 90 in the Championship last year, while posting similar numbers in the Bundesliga with Union Berlin in 2023/24 and Leeds in the Premier League the season before.
How much is Scienza likely to cost?
Similarly, it is not known whether Scienza, if open to a move, would prefer to stay in Germany given Hamburg's alleged interest and their promotion to the Bundesliga. While Brazil-born, Scienza holds Luxembourgish citizenship and appears to speak German fluently based on interviews.
That said, the pull of the Premier League is as strong as it gets in world football and the opportunity to play in England's top flight for a man whose route to Germany's top division has been circuitous to say the least, may not come around again. Leeds would also be more than capable of working Scienza's likely wage demands into their pay structure.
Getty Images
Could he challenge Aaronson or Leeds' existing wingers right away?
As with any signing there are potential drawbacks and areas which have flagged up as red when analysing Scienza, namely his physical output. This season, the 26-year-old rarely completed 90 minutes for Heidenheim which could suggest a level of fitness more representative of the lower divisions in which he has featured throughout most of his career.
Scienza is not likely to be a 'run-in-behind'-type winger or playmaker in the Premier League like Solomon, either. He tends to rely on short bursts of acceleration rather than sustaining himself over longer distances and could be accused of not contributing in matches, until he does. Additionally, Scienza doesn't boast the capacity to get around the pitch like Aaronson or press as intensely, which Farke is known to be fond of with the American.
Where are Scienza's weaknesses?
A glass-half-full scout report of Scienza might highlight the fact he is repeatedly trying more audacious, dangerous, searching passes in the final third, which for a team like Leeds next season who will rely on fewer opportunities than they're used to, could be a useful commodity.
A glass-half-empty perspective would instead highlight the player's less-than-impressive passing accuracy, which as a consequence of his attempts to create is notably poorer when compared to his top five European league peers.
Due to his size, Scienza's aerial ability is minimal, too, whilst there is a question over whether he would stand up to a more intense level of opposition pressure in the Premier League. His ball retention in the Bundesliga under such circumstances appears fairly average at best, and the Premier League is known to be a more demanding competition from this particular standpoint.
What's the verdict?
At most likely less than £5 million, Scienza would represent a low-risk addition now Leeds are back in the top flight. He would, at the very least, add depth to Leeds' wide areas and may find a home at No. 10, shooting and creating more often than Leeds' current incumbent in that position, which will be important in the Premier League with fewer opportunities to strike from.
If he were signed, then perhaps he wouldn't be a starter from the off, but the upside is significant for a player who would not command significant resources in Premier League terms.
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