A report has detailed some of the key parts of the Leeds United signings strategy
Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday(Image: SNS Group)
Rangers fans could soon unwittingly play their part when the club’s new recruitment team make their pitch to prospective signings, if the new owners adopt a similar tactic used at Leeds United.
The Ibrox club are in the early stages of a new era following the takeover by 49ers Enterprises who also own the newly-promoted Premier League Yorkshire giants.
And some of Leeds United’s transfer tricks have been revealed as they prepare for a huge summer in their bid to avoid dropping back down to the Championship, as was the case when they were last promoted.
One particular tool, as revealed in an article by The Athletic, is to show signing targets footage of an epic Elland Road night when they scored three times in the final 10 minutes to come from behind and beat Leicester City.
That was two seasons ago in February 2024 when the Foxes were top of the Championship. That gave Leeds hope of catching the table toppers, but it ultimately ended in disappointment.
However, it only delayed promotion by 12 months as Daniel Farke’s men went up as champions and that Leicester game plays a key role in their recruitment.
Daniel Farke and Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe
The report says: “When the sporting director, Adam Underwood, and the head of recruitment, Alex Davies, with occasional help from managing director Robbie Evans, pitch to prospective signings, they boot up video from February 23, 2024.
“Those clips are just a small fraction of the presentations they are making to players, but that night, and Leeds’ Championship title parade through the city just a few weeks ago, cut to the chase on what a behemoth this club is.”
In recent years, the most raucous night at Ibrox was the Europa League semi-final win over Leipzig which is regarded as one of the best atmospheres the ground has witnessed and is the type they might show potential signings.
Sporting director Kevin Thelwell will head up the recruitment along with the recently appointed Dan Purdy, who he worked with at Everton, and of course new boss Russell Martin.
With Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe now vice-chairman at Rangers and President of 49ers Enterprises & Executive Vice President of Football Operations, they are likely to have a similar vision.
Explaining the detail in their recruitment process, the article states: “Whether it is finding the right players, establishing what it takes to stay up, set-piece maximisation or how other promoted clubs survived, sources at Leeds say these analysts have left no stone unturned.
“This stretches as far as having an analyst working on tracking-data analysis — which involves a player’s location and movement across a game of football. Leeds are also recruiting people with specialisms in biomechanics — how a person moves when playing football — to be able to do more body-specific analysis.
“The data is one side of the equation, but there are nuances in the decisions the key voices in the club need to make. Gretar Steinsson, technical director at 49ers Enterprises having had that role at Elland Road and been performance director at Tottenham Hotspur, and Kevin Thelwell, now sporting director with 49ers Enterprises-owned Scottish giants Rangers following previous similar positions with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton, are experienced heads the executives at Leeds can go to for advice.”
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So what about Martin’s own input? Well, if Farke is anything to go by then the ex Southampton boss won’t have anyone forced upon him by the new regime.
They said: “As for Farke’s own suggestions, they are all given a deep dive because of his importance in the overall process.
“Leeds sources have been at pains to point out no player is forced on the manager, and neither does he force one on the club. Every signing must have agreement from scouts, manager, strategy, planning and finance. If one of those boxes is not ticked, the player concerned is not signed.”