Daniel Farke’s Leeds United are looking lighter at centre-back heading into the summer transfer window.
Pascal Struijk and Max Wober have had persistent injury concerns in recent seasons, while Leeds United captain, Ethan Ampadu, is best served operating as a defensive midfielder.
Josuha Guilavogui could also be deployed in the centre of defence, but the only consistently available and reliable player is Joe Rodon. It means that a chunk of Leeds’ transfer budget of £150 million must go on a central defender.
The 49ers have to ensure that they give Daniel Farke what is required and add to that area with depth but also quality, allowing Ampadu to feature further forward and lead the team in the press as well.
The latest option to have emerged as a contender ticks the all-important box of Premier League experience – having played 35 times in England’s top tier during the 2024/25 season.
Photo by Hannah Fountain - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Hannah Fountain – CameraSport via Getty Images
Leeds targeting Dara O’Shea points to clear tactical shift
While Ipswich Town endured a difficult season as they attempted to escape an instant relegation, Irish international Dara O’Shea was a rare shining light for the Tractor Boys.
It was only last summer that Ipswich paid Burnley a fee of around £12 million to land him in a deal that could have reached £15 million. Carlos Corberan loves the giant defender O’Shea, having coached him at West Brom.
However, according to The Sun, those £3 million in add-ons were not met due to relegation. Leeds could now acquire the 6’2″ centre-back this summer, with interest reported. It’s especially interesting given O’Shea’s main strength is his ability in the air.
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The current tactical blueprint for promoted teams has to be surrounding making the most of marginal gains, which includes having a strong set-piece taker, but also aerial threats.
Regarding the former, Leeds have lost their best taker in Joe Rothwell. The latter? That leaves just Pascal Struijk who is immense at winning headers and scoring them — with five goals for Leeds last season.
They won a lot of corners and free-kicks but ought to have made more of them. O’Shea would instantly be added into the team as their best player in that regard.
Per FBref, he wins 3.29 aerial duels per 90, which is in the 93rd percentile of players when compared to his positional peers in the men’s ‘Big-5’ leagues, the Champions League, and the Europa League over the last 365 days.
That is staggeringly good, especially with O’Shea being shorter than both Struijk and Rodon. Leeds would be adding another serious weapon to their arsenal in both boxes for defending and attacking crosses.
It point towards them being sensible but also putting an onus on that particular tactic in the Premier League. The only other thing they have to add is a replacement for Rothwell’s free-kick taking ability.
Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
Leeds target Dara O’Shea won Ipswich’s Player of the Year award
On paper, a move for a player like O’Shea does not look the flashiest or the sexiest, but he was Ipswich’s Player of the Year and a key part of the team.
Winning the award is a great sign but also taking the best players from relegated sides ought to be a strategy they try to exploit as much as possible.
O’Shea has the right attributes in terms of decent recovery speed and the aerial ability to help Leeds out defensively, which they are certain to need as well.
It’s clear and obvious that height and size and physicality are all attributes Leeds are looking to add. The next thing that will become clear is the need for at least one good set-piece taker but a long throw specialist wouldn’t go amiss, either.
They cannot set up the same way tactically in the top flight compared to the second tier, where they will have a lower possession share, and adapting into a new way of setting up is paramount when they will dominate less.
That is in a tactical sense but also in terms of personnel as well. Leeds won’t have the superiority over their opposition to take charge of games in the same way, bringing set-piece importance into the light.