Now that the season is officially over, Leeds United supporters should reflect on what has been a phenomenal first year back in the Premier League under Daniel Farke.
The German head coach led the team to 14th in the division, steering clear of a tight relegation battle, and took the side to Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final clash with Chelsea.
Farke has already spoken of his ambition to do more than just survive in the Premier League and that means that there must be investment in the summer window to bolster the squad.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke acknowledges fans after the match
Marcelo Bielsa's team finished in the top-half in their first season in the top-flight, before narrowly evading relegation the following year and then being relegated under Sam Allardyce in the third season.
The recruitment team need to do better this time around by identifying players who can take the West Yorkshire outfit to the next level, rather than just keeping them where they are.
Leeds United eyeing deal to sign LaLiga star
Bielsa had some terrific players during his time at Elland Road, including the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, and one who went a little under the radar was central midfielder Mateusz Klich.
The Polish star did a little bit of everything in the engine room, helping the Whites to tick effectively, and Farke is now eyeing a player who could be his own version of the former star.
kalvin-phillips-mateusz-klich-leeds
According to MOT Leeds News, Leeds United are one of the clubs eyeing up a deal to sign Girona central midfielder Azzedine Ounahi in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Whites have expressed an interest in securing an deal swoop for the Morocco international after his club were relegated from LaLiga.
Girona's Azzedine Ounahi in action with Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga
It states that the club have reignited their pursuit of the 26-year-old talent after eyeing a move for him in the winter, and they now hope to finally bring him to Elland Road.
The central midfielder reportedly has a £17m release clause in his contract with Girona, which means that the Whites could see an offer of £17m accepted, unless they are able to negotiate a lower fee due to their relegation.
How Azzedine Ounahi would be Leeds United's new Mateusz Klich
As aforementioned, Klich was an integral part of Bielsa's Leeds team because of how many different things he did on the pitch, as a goalscorer, a creator, a duel winner, a tackler, and as a dribbler.
Klich Dallas
He was an all-round midfield star for the Whites and that is exactly what Ounahi can be for Farke if the club can strike a deal with Girona to bring him to England this summer.
Stats Klich (20/21 PL) Ounahi (25/26 LaLiga)
Appearances 35 24
Goals 4 5
Big chances created 3 11
Assists 5 2
Tackles + interceptions per game 1.4 1.7
Dribble success rate 48% 52%
Long pass accuracy 59% 57%
The Morocco international, just like Klich, can offer quality with goals, assists, tackles, interceptions, and dribbles, doing a bit of everything in the middle of the park.
A return of 11 'big chances' created in 24 appearances is a particularly impressive statistic, as no Leeds player created more than nine of them in 38 Premier League matches this season.
Ounahi, who scored one of his five LaLiga goals against Real Madrid, could be the top creative talent in the squad for Farke, which is the exact kind of upgrade that Leeds need to take the next step in the Premier League.
The 26-year-old star has the all-round qualities to be a reliable midfield player, just as Klich was, in and out of possession, but he also has that extra bit of quality that can make him a standout performer at Elland Road.
Villarreal's Gerard Moreno in action with Girona's Abel Ruiz and Azzedine Ounahi
Ounahi also averaged 2.9 successful dribbles per game in LaLiga for Girona, more than any Leeds player managed in the Premier League, which speaks to his ability to evade an opposition press with the ball at his feet.
His impressive technical ability as a creator and dribbler could be key to Leeds taking the next step and becoming a dominant team in the top-flight, as they will need technically-brilliant players if they want to dominate and put teams on the back foot.
That is why signing Ounahi for what seems like a bargain price at £17m should be one of their priorities in the opening weeks of the transfer window.
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