The frustration at Leeds United’s transfer dealings persists, with a steady stream of targets failing to align with Daniel Farke’s top priorities.
Leeds have been busy this transfer window, bringing in reinforcements in areas that were needed.
Goalkeeper Lucas Perri arrived for £20m to provide competition for Illan Meslier who gave some shaky performances last season.
Midfielder Anton Stach has also arrived to provide support and competition to the likes of Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu.
Leeds have also signed the likes of Lukas Nmecha, Sean Longstaff, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Jaka Bijol.
However, despite these signings, none of them fill the key position Daniel Farke is so keen to address.
Photo by MOHAMED TAGELDIN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty ImagesNico Gonzalez is not the number 9 Daniel Farke desperately needs
Leeds United are now targeting Juventus’ Nico Gonzalez amid ongoing frustration with securing Fulham Rodrigo Muniz’s signature.
Graham Smyth believes Leeds will sign Muniz at some stage in the current window, however, the latest states there is impatience building at the club regarding the Brazilian centre-forward.
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It’s stated that the Argentine is one of the players of interest after being unable to bring in a winger after Igor Paixao’s rejection.
Despite Nico Gonzalez’s potential and promise, he is not the number 9 Leeds United so desperately need.
Farke has now asked twice for attacking reinforcements after the last two pre-season games, saying they need to add ‘some quality’ ahead of their Premier League season.
Without taking credit away from Leeds’ goalscorers last season, Joel Piroe scoring 19, with Dan James following with 12 and Manor Solomon with 10, the team needs a standalone number 9 who can be counted on game after game, in the top flight of English football.
Photo by Ed Sykes/Getty ImagesPatrick Bamford is proving hard to replace
Leeds United’s current number nine is Patrick Bamford, who has been at the club for seven years and scored 60 goals.
Despite this, Bamford has left out of the squad this season after Farke told him he is not part of Leeds’ Premier League plans.
In his last Premier League season with Leeds United, which was the 2022-2023 campaign, Bamford scored four goals. His most prolific Premier League season was in 2020-2021, when he scored 17 goals.
This is a testament to the high standards Farke is setting, but also highlights the difficulty of replacing a player with Bamford’s unique skill set.
His intelligent pressing and ability to create space for others were hallmarks of Marcelo Bielsa’s system, and these traits are proving hard to find in a new striker.
While plagued with injuries in recent seasons, Bamford showed his commitment by bulking up during pre-season.
Farke’s decision underscores a ruthless focus on form and fitness at the top level, creating a tricky situation for the club as they seek a forward who can fill the void he leaves behind.