Leeds United finally return to Premier League action for the first time in over two years when they welcome Everton to Elland Road this evening.
The Whites are set to welcome David Moyes' side to West Yorkshire and will be hoping to be more like Sunderland than Burnley by picking up all three points.
Daniel Farke lost 35 of his 49 Premier League games in charge at Norwich City in the 2019/20 and 2021/22 campaigns, which may not fill many supporters with confidence ahead of the clash this evening.
However, Milot Rashica for a fee of £9.4m was the most expensive signing he was able to make during his time with the Canaries, which shows that he was not backed as much in the transfer market as he has been this summer with Leeds.
LEEDS FARKE
The Whites have bought Anton Stach for around £17m, Sean Longstaff for £12m, and Jaka Bijol for £15m, which shows that he has had more to work with than he did at Norwich.
There is still plenty of work left to be done in the transfer market, though, as Leeds still need to find a winger who can be an upgrade on Jack Harrison.
Why Leeds need an upgrade on Jack Harrison
Manor Solomon returned to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of his loan spell earlier this year, leaving a hole in the squad in the left wing position ahead of this season.
Manor-Solomon-Leeds
Wilfried Gnonto has played on the left in pre-season. However, the Italy U21 international may also be needed as an alternative to Dan James on the right flank, and he only started 26 times in the Championship last term, per Sofascore.
Harrison is the only other natural wide option for Farke to call upon, at the moment, and his form on loan at Everton in the last two Premier League seasons does not suggest that he is likely to make a big impact on the pitch for the German head coach this season.
Jack Harrison (Premier League) 23/24 24/25
Appearances 29 34
xG 3.57 3.52
Goals 3 1
Key passes per game 1.0 1.0
Big chances created 5 6
Assists 3 0
Duel success rate 41% 36%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the English forward only scored four goals and provided three assists in 63 matches in the top-flight during his time with the Toffees.
These statistics do not suggest that he will offer much of a threat as either a scorer or a creator of goals on the flank, whether that be the right or the left, for Leeds, which is why they should be looking to sign an upgrade on him.
Everton winger Jack Harrison
If the latest reports are to be believed, the Championship champions are looking to sign a new winger, and may be set to land an upgrade on Harrison to bolster their squad before the window slams shut.
Leeds close to signing Serie A forward
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Leeds United are closing in on the signing of versatile AC Milan forward Noah Okafor to add to their attacking options.
The reporter claims that the Whites have submitted an offer worth more than £17m in an attempt to get a deal over the line this week, with a contract that could go through to 2030.
Romano adds that Farke is 'pushing' a lot for this transfer to get over the line, which shows that the former Salzburg man is a top target for the German head coach.
Meanwhile, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Luca Bianchin, the West Yorkshire outfit have already agreed personal terms with the attacker.
noah-okafor-ac-milan-serie-a
The reporter claims that the Whites are now accelerating talks with the Italian giants to reach an agreement over a transfer fee for the Switzerland international in the coming days, which backs up Romano's report.
Why Noah Okafor would be an upgrade on Jack Harrison
Okafor, who can play through the middle as a striker or on either flank as a winger, would come in as an upgrade on Harrison because of his potential to deliver quality at the top end of the pitch.
It is fair to say that the 2024/25 campaign, which ended with him on loan at Napoli, did not go to plan for the Swiss star, as he only scored one goal in 15 matches in the Serie A, per Sofascore.
However, his form in the Italian top-flight in the 2023/24 campaign shows that there is a promising player in there, waiting to be unearthed by Farke at Elland Road.
Okafor, who was hailed as "magnificent" by former coach Mauro Lustrinelli, only started six of his 28 appearances for Milan, yet was able to make a significant impact at the top end of the pitch.
23/24 Serie A Noah Okafor
Appearances 28
Starts 6
Goals 6
xG 3.83
Goals per 90 0.62
Assists per 90 0.21
Assists 2
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, the Swiss star delivered 0.83 goals and assists combined per 90, which is an eye-catching return, and outperformed his xG by just over two goals.
That kind of quality in the final third was not a flash in the pan for Okafor, though, because he produced 34 goals and 23 assists in 110 games for RB Salzburg before his move to Milan, per Transfermarkt.
AC Milan's Noah Okafor celebrates scoring their second goal
The £17m-rated star, who has scored six goals in 24 Champions League games in his career, has shown that he can deliver goals and assists at an impressive rate throughout his time with Milan and Salzburg, barring the 2024/25 campaign.
This means that Leeds could land a bargain by snapping him up this summer by helping him to recapture his best form, as he is a lot better than his form last season showed.
If the Whites can get Okafor firing again, the 25-year-old speedster would come in as a big upgrade on Harrison on the left by offering far more of a threat in the final third, particularly as a goalscorer, to win vital points for Leeds in the Premier League.