Leeds United will have to be ambitious and clear in what they want if they want to be successful in building a squad that can avoid instant relegation from the Premier League.
The facts are there for all to see. The last six teams to be promoted from the Premier League have all been relegated in their first season in the top-flight, which means that it is going to be incredibly difficult for the Whites to beat the drop.
Daniel Farke knows more than most about how difficult it is, because he managed Norwich during their relegation in the 2019/20 campaign, and was relieved of his duties before they succumbed to another relegation in the 2021/22 season.
One route the West Yorkshire outfit could go down is to sign players with Premier League experience, as they know the division and know what it takes to avoid relegation.
There are several former Leeds players who now fall into that category of star, although some of them are now beyond the club’s reach, including Nottingham Forest centre-forward Chris Wood.
Why Chris Wood is unattainable for Leeds
The New Zealand international is now unattainable for the Whites because there is a chance that Nottingham Forest could be playing in the Champions League next season, and they will be playing in a European competition no matter what.
Wood played for Leeds in the Championship between 2015 and 2017, after joining from Leicester City, and caught the eye with his goalscoring exploits in the second tier.
As you can see in the graphic above, the towering striker averaged a goal every other game for the Whites, before being sold to Burnley for £15m.
Wood has gone on to cement himself as a reliable and consistent Premier League goalscorer throughout his career, playing in the top-flight in every season since his exit from Elland Road in 2017.
Chris Wood’s Premier League career
Season (club)
Appearances
Goals
24/25 (Nottingham Forest)
35
20
23/24 (Nottingham Forest)
31
14
22/23 (Newcastle United)
18
2
21/22 (Newcastle United)
17
2
21/22 (Burnley)
17
3
20/21 (Burnley)
33
12
19/20 (Burnley)
32
14
18/19 (Burnley)
38
10
17/18 (Burnley)
24
10
As you can see in the table above, the impressive marksman was remarkably consistent for Burnley up until the 2021/22 campaign, in which he joined Newcastle United in the January transfer window.
His time with the Magpies did not go to plan, with four goals in 35 Premier League appearances, but his previous form for Burnley was clearly enough for Forest to put their faith in him, and he has paid them back in a big way.
His incredible form for Forest, with 34 goals in 66 league matches to date, illustrates why he is beyond the club’s reach at this moment in time, but that does not mean that Farke cannot sign his own version of Wood.
Leeds considering deal for Premier League star
According to Football Insider, Leeds United are considering a bargain swoop to sign Callum Wilson from Premier League side Newcastle United in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Whites are looking to add Premier League experience to their squad, and the England international would fit the bill for the newly-promoted side.
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It states that the Championship champions are exploring the possibility of a deal to bring the experienced centre-forward to Elland Road ahead of the 2025/26 campaign to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
Football Insider reveals that Wilson is poised to walk away from St. James’ Park at the end of his current contract, which expires at the end of June, and that Leeds view him as potentially smart business on a free transfer.
With this in mind, the 49ers must act upon this interest to snap up the 33-year-old veteran, because he could arrive as Farke’s own version of Chris Wood in the 2025/26 campaign, to bolster the team’s chances of avoiding an instant relegation from the top-flight.
Why Callum Wilson could be Chris Wood 2.0
As aforementioned, Nottingham Forest hit the jackpot with Wood because they were willing to overlook his struggles in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.
They banked on him being able to recapture the form he displayed at Burnley earlier in his career, and his 20 Premier League goals this season at the age of 33 prove that they made the right decision.
Wilson could be a similarly successful signing for Leeds after a difficult season with the Magpies on Tyneside, as he has failed to score in 17 Premier League appearances this term, albeit with only two starts to his name.
The veteran striker, once described as “incredible” by manager Eddie Howe, would be arriving at Elland Road off the back of a poor campaign, just as Wood was when he left St. James’ Park to sign for Forest.
Just like the New Zealand international, though, Wilson also has an impressive history of scoring goals in the Premier League for Newcastle and Bournemouth that predates the current term.
Callum Wilson’s Premier League career
Season
Starts
Goals
24/25
2
0
23/24
9
9
22/23
21
18
21/22
16
8
20/21
23
12
19/20
32
8
18/19
29
14
17/18
23
8
16/17
16
6
15/16
9
5
As you can see in the table above, the English marksman has, typically, scored goals on a regular basis when given plenty of starts by his manager.
These statistics show that he knows how to find the back of the net at an impressive rate in the Premier League, which is why he could be an excellent and much-needed signing for a Leeds squad that are looking to avoid relegation at the first time of asking.
They also show that Wilson has the potential to be Farke’s own version of Wood as an experienced and Premier League-proven striker who could come in and make a big impact in the final third if given enough game time to shine, as the ex-Leeds striker has been at the City Ground.
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As a potentially free agent signing, he could be a shrewd addition to the group for Farke and a player who could pass on his experience to the younger players in the squad, which is another reason why this could be an excellent piece of business.