Leeds United’s penultimate pre-season friendly brought a 1-1 draw with Villarreal where Daniel Farke made his feelings known on incoming transfer business that must follow as soon as possible.
Pre-season fixtures are purely a means for new signings to assimilate with their surroundings while getting valuable minutes in the tank against good opposition.
So a draw against Champions League opposition on Saturday in La Liga’s Villarreal was not only a good test, but further opportunity for Leeds to get new signings bedded in against the right level of competition.
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What did Daniel Farke have to say about signings after Villarreal?
It was the same old story in the final third for Leeds as Joel Piroe scored the Whites’ leveller in the second half, his latest strike in an impressive pre-season run that suggests a readiness to tackle the Premier League step up head-on.
However, while Anton Stach and Lukas Nmecha in particular have shown their ease at slotting into the side, there is an eagerness from their compatriot Daniel Farke to see more signings in the doors sooner rather than later.
(Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff)
Injuries in the Leeds 18 that featured at the weekend cast a spotlight on the positions that already required some attention, and Farke didn’t shy away from commenting.
“We are not naive,” Farke told the BBC post-match. “We know that even in comparison to our Championship offence you could say that we are not much improved.
“We know in the offence we are not ready for Premier League level. We’ve proven we can be ready for one game and for that I am not too concerned at the moment as it stands.
“I know especially with the offence, in the last bit you can add some quality. Of course as a manager you want all the players available on the first day of pre-season and to have training sessions with them because they need to adapt to the group and the principles.
“The shorter the time is to the first game the more difficult it is to integrate them and make them fully ready and up to speed. For that we still have time. We know we need additions to that. I also know we all together and our key people who are responsible for spending the money are trying everything to make these additions as quick as possible.
“We are two weeks away from the first game. I can’t guarantee that for the first game everything is really ready and we are fully equipped.
“We definitely have to make sure that latest after the first international break we have really a competitive squad for the Premier League. We are not anxious but fully aware we need to do something.”
Villarreal evidence suggests Leeds United could do with Bilal El Khannouss capture
In terms of targets Leeds could pursue this week to head Farke’s advice to get bodies through the door, many are looking for updates on Leicester City’s star attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss.
Those who merely looked at the Moroccan’s goal and assist output last season were left underwhelmed when it was revealed Leeds have met with the player’s entourage over potentially triggering his £24.5million release clause, but there’s plenty more to his game that would get fans off their seats consistently.
(Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers)
A dazzling carrier of the ball, El Khannouss could address a major shortcoming in Leeds’ attacking profile with his creativity, but also leans into the way Farke has set the side up in a 4-3-3 this pre-season.
Leeds could operate with a trio of Anton Stach – Ethan Ampadu – Bilal El Khannouss and have a strong variety to their play while also having the physicality to match the tests that Premier League opposition pose, as well as having the ability to cover vast amounts of ground across 90 minutes.
Brenden Aaronson was one of the names that impressed fans the most from his display against Villarreal, digging out the chance for Piroe’s equaliser, but his inconsistency in creating chances has been prominent in two separate Elland Road campaigns, while El Khannouss was the rare bright spark of the Foxes’ dismal relegation.
Given Farke’s comments, Leeds’ well publicised need for a creative eight-10-hybrid, and El Khannouss again showing his talents for the Foxes in their pre-season clash with Fiorentina, it’s a deal that could and should be chased up in the coming days.
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