Leeds United managing director Robbie Evans has once again defended the club’s transfer strategy this summer, insisting the club “ticked off their highest priority boxes” and having revealed they could have enhanced their kitty had they chosen to sell three players for whom offers came in.
The Whites have taken four points from their opening three games, giving them a relatively satisfying return so far following promotion back to the Premier League. However, with just one goal to their name so far – a penalty in the win over Everton – fears are growing that a failure to adequately strengthen in the final third could cost Leeds United dear.
Indeed, in their last encounter, a goalless draw at home to Newcastle, Daniel Farke’s side – while competitive in midfield and solid at the back – looked pretty toothless up front and lacked the spark and creativity needed to breach the visitors’ backline.
And with Leeds subsequently missing out on deals to sign Facundo Buonanotte and Harry Wilson, supporters have expressed dismay that Farke will not have enough firepower to mount a safety charge.
In defence of their dealings, however, Evans has told the BBC that Leeds were both satisfied with the players they did manage to bring in and also having revealed that offers were turned down for Pascal Struijk, Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe this summer in sales that could have bolstered Farke’s kitty.
“Unsurprisingly, the players that have the highest PSR profit are the ones that are most critical to our success last year and most important for our success next year,” he said.
“So rather than sell them pre-emptively on the expectation of having somebody for whom that capital could be better deployed, we ticked off all of our highest-priority boxes first and foremost.
“We didn’t think it was wise to lose those players – the quality they bring, the continuity from last season, the familiarity with Daniel Farke’s strategy and his process adds a ton to our squad.
“So unless [selling them] was enabling something truly unique and differential, we’d rather have them here.”
TEAMtalk can reveal that concrete interest at Elland Road arrived for Struijk from LaLiga side, Villarreal.
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Leeds’ summer spend saw them splash out £103.1m on a total of 10 new players, though two of these – forwards Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were free transfers.
All the same, Evans is adamant the Whites did all they could given the constraints of PSR.
“This summer, we spent everything we could,” he insisted. “Unequivocally, we are maxing PSR out this season.
“If we had gone on to other targets [on deadline day], or on to higher-priced players back in July, the consequences would have been seen in the current roster – the players in August would not have come in, or more key players from last season would have had to go.
“There were only a handful of players that were worth even considering making those kinds of sales. And when those top players didn’t materialise, we held on to our key players instead.”
Despite that, supporters quite rightly feel Farke has been sold short, particularly in attack and with the club having to rely heavily on Calvert-Lewin recapturing the form (and more crucially, fitness) that once made him a £50m asset for his former club, Everton.
And to quote some, there is a feeling that Farke has been sent into a gunfight armed with just a water pistol.
Certainly, pundits Ally McCoist and Jeff Stelling feel the Whites have sold the Leeds manager a little short, with the pair reassessing their claims on the promoted side they now think is best equipped to survive.
Leeds latest: Move for Christian Eriksen ruled out; Lammens dodge explanation
Meanwhile, Evans has also appeared to rule out efforts to pursue the prospects of Leeds entering the free agent market, with the likes of former Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen one of those recently linked with a move to Elland Road.
The Whites chief has also offered a lukewarm response to talk of making further additions in the January market too…
Elsewhere, it’s been revealed that Leeds United and Sunderland explored moves for Senne Lammens this summer, and a report has revealed why both clubs chose to sidestep the stopper who went on to join Manchester United.
With 10 new faces arriving, there were also plenty to leave Elland Road, and you can check every in and out of the summer window right here.
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