Leeds United’s search for new signings continues this week after the failure of Sean Longstaff and trying to convince Newcastle United to sell their academy product.
Leeds are due to fly to Stockholm at the end of the week ahead of their first pre-season fixture against Manchester United. It is claimed that Jack Harrison may be left behind with his situation ‘complex’.
Meanwhile, Adam Underwood and his transfer team will be working hard to bring in more new signings to give Daniel Farke the best possible chance of avoiding an immediate relegation to the Championship.
Four have come in, with Underwood sorting out the defence. Max Wober and Junior Firpo have gone, replaced by Sebastiaan Bornauw and Gabriel Gudmundsson while Jaka Bijol has been brought in.
Photo by Ahmad Mora/DeFodi Images via Getty ImagesWhat Mesut Ozil said about new Leeds United target in 2018
With the defence sorted, Underwood will surely be looking at the no.10 position and understanding that improvements are required. That is, of course, if Farke wants to continue with his 4-2-3-1 formation.
Leeds are said to have identified Yusuf Yazici as a target. Able to play in a number of positions but a no.10 naturally, the 45-time Turkey ace is fit again after an ACL injury and is looking to leave Olympiacos.
Back in 2018, Yazici was a target for the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal icon Ozil compared Yazici to himself. He told Hurriyet seven years ago that Yazici, while at Trabzonspor, is an “amazing no.10”.
“I really like Yazici, an incredible talent. An amazing No 10. We have a lot of similarities. His left foot, his position, close passing, calmness on the ball. We will see Yusuf at a big European club in the near future.”
Photo by Stuart Franklin – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
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Yusuf Yazici’s career numbers compared to Brenden Aaronson
Yazici and Aaronson actually share a lot of similarities, both playing in some of Europe’s top divisions and playing 40-50 times for their country. Aaronson, of course, is four years younger than 28-year-old Yazici.
But, they have both played a similar amount of club football, especially after Yazici only managed one appearance for Olympiacos last season. The playmaker suffered an ACL injury after joining the Greek side.
Aaronson and Yazici’s club numbers compared:
Union Berlin
Philadelphia Union
RB Salzburg
Trabzonspor
CSKA Moscow
Olympiacos
Obviously, there are many different variables with both players playing in different countries. What is alarming for Aaronson is that Yazici has scored double the amount of goals, and laid on more assists.
Yazici may have played more games, but he has actually clocked up 103 goal involvements – compared to Aaronson’s 60 – in over 2000 less minutes. Yazici’s numbers are better, but is he the same after injury?