Leeds United have two weeks until their Premier League campaign gets underway against Everton and plenty to do in the time between.
Leeds United’s unbeaten pre-season continued on Saturday but a 1-1 draw against Villarreal raised some questions over the readiness of Daniel Farke’s squad for the Premier League. The Whites were without five senior players for the Elland Road meeting, including recent signing Lucas Perri and starting right-back Jayden Bogle.
Leeds showed plenty of positives in their performance on Saturday but there are also clear weaknesses that need addressing in the final month of the transfer window, preferably in the two weeks before Everton arrive at Elland Road. Below, the YEP takes a look at what needs doing.
Full-back cover
It was a shame not to see Bogle back on the Elland Road pitch against Villarreal because he’s been great fun so far this summer. The attacking right-back’s quick feet and slick link-up with Willy Gnonto have been highlights of pre-season but a hip flexor issue saw him sidelined.
In his place was Isaac Schmidt, who has reportedly already agreed personal terms over a loan to Werder Bremen, but as right-back cover goes that’s about all Leeds have at the minute. Saturday was his first involvement in pre-season since returning from a calf injury and it looked like it, with the Swiss international getting caught a few too many times - including for Villarreal’s opener.
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Leeds are well set for first-choice full-backs on both sides, with Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson impressing so far this summer, but Schmidt struggled yesterday and could be set to leave on loan anyway. The former’s recent injury has highlighted a lack of depth and if he is to miss Everton in two week’s time, quality cover is needed.
Wide reinforcements
Leeds’ desire for a marquee winger has been well-documented and Farke highlighted on Saturday he is weaker than last season in that position, with Solomon heading back to Tottenham Hotspur. Slight injuries to Dan James and Jack Harrison compounded the issue as Brenden Aaronson was forced to play on the right.
The American was largely excellent but Leeds need to be stronger in every position going into the Premier League and by Farke’s own admission, that cannot be said for his attacking unit. Gnonto and Largie Ramazani both looked sharp against Villarreal but that big-money arrival is necessary to move the needle.
It remains to be seen how Leeds react to missing out on Igor Paixão - they insist there will be no rushed decisions - but Farke could certainly do with having his difference-maker through the door in time for Everton. At the very least, it would be ideal to have a fully fit wide quartet to pick from come August 18.
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First-choice striker
At present, Leeds have just two senior strikers readily available to play with neither Bamford nor Joseph in Farke’s plans for different reasons. Fortunately, both Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe have looked sharp in pre-season and both are scoring goals.
Piroe was on hand to equalise against Villarreal and Nmecha was his physical self, setting about battling opposition defenders and winning some important free-kicks. But as with the situation out wide, it appears Leeds still lack that difference maker, someone who can turn nothing into something.
Signing that type of player is not easy, particularly when a key target like Rodrigo Muniz is currently considered not for sale, and Leeds would do incredibly well to get both a No.9 and winger through the door before Everton. Perhaps the latter is more of a priority given injuries elsewhere.
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