Leeds have been urged to copy Leicester's league-winning strategy.
(Credit: Imago/Leicester City on Youtube)
MOT Leeds News speaking to Ian Darke
Tue 10 June 2025 16:10, UK
Leeds are desperate for extra firepower in the transfer market this summer.
Daniel Farke is keen to add more goals to his side as they look to secure survival in the Premier League next season.
They currently have the likes of Patrick Bamford, Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph to lead the line but there are question marks over their ability to score in the top-flight.
The Elland Road club are expected to address that issue before they kick off the new campaign.
Leeds star Joel Piroe's stats in the Championship.
Piroe was the Championship’s top scorer in the 2024-25 season. (Credit: Imago)
Leeds urged to copy Leicester transfer model
The Whites have been linked with several strikers from across Europe, with the likes of Arnaud Kalimuendo, Nikola Krstovic and Willem Guebbels amongst those named as potential targets.
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Iconic commentator Ian Darke believes that the Whites should be targeting a striker that is proven in English football rather than an unknown talent from the continent.
However, he understands that better value comes from abroad and has urged the LS11 outfit to follow Leicester’s model from their 2015-16 league-winning season.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, he said: “Ideally, yes, if you can get a player who is a proven goalscorer in the Premier League that is much better.
“However, I think everybody who works in recruitment knows that the price is much bigger in England, so I think you are seeing a lot of clubs thinking they can get better value by going abroad and picking up signings there.
“Of course, those players do come as a bit of a punt, so you are down, as every club is, to the quality of your recruitment people about identifying the right players, can you pick up an uncut diamond for £15million, who might be worth £40m in a couple of years time.
“If you look at what Brighton have done, that is what they have done time and time again, they paid something like £4m for Caicedo and sold him for £115m.
“It is what Leicester did with Riyad Mahrez, bought him for 400,000 and sold him for £60m to Manchester City, Kante for £5.5m, sold him for around £30m to Chelsea.
“That is why the job of a recruitment officer is the biggest at Premier League clubs now, it is about target identification and that is going to be crucial for Leeds.”
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Leeds have been linked with former Paris Saint-Germain ace Kalimuendo.
Leeds need to get it right this summer
If the 49ers and Farke fail to bring in a reliable goalscorer, they will very likely be relegated back down to the Championship.
However, if they can secure a signing with experience in the top-flight already, such as Beto or Callum Wilson, it would be a major boost in their attempts to beat the drop.
Perhaps bringing in two options, one who has already featured in the division and an untested gem from Europe, may be the right answer.
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