Leeds United play Everton in their Premier League opener on August 18th and ahead of then the Toffees are making waves in the transfer market.
Leeds United play AC Milan in a pre-season friendly on Saturday before then hosting Everton in the opening round of the Premier League the following weekend.
There remains three weeks left of the summer transfer window which closes on September 1st and for Daniel Farke there remains some key priority positions to bolster in the side. Notably, Leeds United want three more attacking signings with a new number 10, a new winger, and a new striker all wanted at Elland Road.
So far, Leeds United have bolstered in goal, in defence, and in midfield leaving just the attack but following the failed pursuit of Igor Paixao it’s starting to look like Leeds United might find it difficult to land the attacking targets they want, with attackers always being the players that clubs want to sign.
For Everton though, signing attacking players is starting to look very easy.
Photo by Scott Llewellyn | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesEverton eyeing attacking additions ahead of Leeds United opener
So far this summer, Leeds United have signed seven new players. Everton meanwhile have signed five new players, though it looks like David Moyes‘ side are about to welcome some more new and exciting faces in the short future. This week, Everton have completed a deal to sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea, whilst Southampton’s Tyler Dibling is understood to be training alone after Everton made bids to sign the young attacker from St Mary’s.
There are also growing rumours that Everton could be about to welcome Jack Grealish on loan from Man City this summer, in two more potential attacking additions that could really make Everton a force to be reckoned with next season. For Leeds, it will be painful to watch their opening day opponents signing such quality attacking players, and seemingly with such ease, whilst Farke struggles to really get close to any new signings.
It’s a symptom of promoted teams to struggle to attract the top players as they don’t really know what they’re signing up for. But Leeds United still have up to £75m to spend this summer, and so we could see some marquee signings in the coming weeks.
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What Leeds United’s attack will look like vs Everton
Assuming Farke maintains the 4-2-3-1 formation that served his side well in the Championship last season, we could see an attack that is almost identical to what we saw throughout of last season.
Dan James has signed a new contract with Leeds United and he’ll no doubt prop up the left side of attack with Joel Piroe up front. The Dutchman has been fine form this pre-season with four goals and he looks ready to take on the Premier League after scoring 19 in the Championship last time round.
On the right, Wilfried Gnonto could start, although it looks like Farke wants to sign a new right-sided player to give Gnonto some competition. Then in the number 10 position, it looks likely to be Brenden Aaronson as things stand.
Of the four attacking players though, Aaronson is certainly the weak link and it is arguably the position that Farke most needs to bolster.
But time is running out and options are starting to wear thin for the 49ers, who may yet have to cough up big to sign some quality attacking players before the summer transfer window shuts.