Leeds United’s summer has been a rather frustrating one for the supporters so far, and recent reports suggest they could be set to face another crushing blow in the transfer market.
Reports in recent days had hinted that Leeds were in the running to secure the signing of Florian Jozefzoon from Brentford following an impressive campaign in the Championship from the Ajax academy graduate.
However, after suffering plenty of setbacks already this summer, it appears that the Whites are on the cusp of missing out on another key target.
According to a report from the Derby Telegraph, Jozefzoon has chosen to sign for Derby County over Leeds and will undergo a medical before signing a 4-year deal at Pride Park.
Jozefzoon’s decision will arrive as a disappointment to Bielsa, but there are plenty of players on the market who the Argentinian could target instead this summer.
Time is running out for Bielsa to add significant quality to his ranks before the new season gets underway, so he must be decisive with his decision making in the coming days now that Jozefzoon appears to have turned down a move to Elland Road.
Bielsa will need to step up his pursuit of an exciting wide player to provide spark on the flanks, and he will also need to land a new centre-forward with a prolific record if he wishes to have any realistic expectation of mounting a promotion challenge.
With that in mind, here’s what Leeds’ promotion-chasing attack could look like by the start of the new season…
Tottenham’s 19-year-old prospect failed miserably at Norwich City last season as his short-term loan spell was cut short after he failed to break into the first-team at Carrow Road.
But the potential he has demonstrated throughout his development at youth level suggests he is destined for a bright future in the game if he adopts a significant change in attitude.
According to the London Evening Standard, Tottenham are willing to allow Edwards to depart the club this summer.
With that to consider, Bielsa would be foolish not to approach Spurs for his signature, as the teenager’s pace and trickery could provide his side with a valuable weapon to exploit next season.
Liverpool have spent heavily in the transfer market this summer, so they may be forced to offload a handful of players to balance the books.
The form of Roberto Firmino last season forced Solanke to play nothing more than a bit-part role with the club, but he will be far from content with the prospect of spending another season on the bench.
Caleb Ekuban’s record of just 1 Championship goal from 20 appearances last season was simply not good enough to suggest he could blossom into a prolific striker in the future, so Bielsa should focus on replacing the 24-year-old this summer with a new centre-forward.
Solanke’s record in the Premier League was hardly prolific either, but with a proper run of games in the first-team at a lower level of football, the 20-year-old would have a fantastic opportunity to prove his potential.
Ezgjan Alioski is the only survivor from last season to retain his place in Leeds’ front-three.
Although his form was rather inconsistent and erratic, the sporadic bursts of quality which he displayed were enough to suggest that he has a huge season ahead of him now that he has adjusted to the speed and intensity of Championship football.
The Macedonia international will be eager to improve on his record of 5 goals and 7 assists from last season and play a key role in Leeds’ push towards the play-off places.
There’s certainly more to come from Alioski, so Bielsa should have him at the forefront of his plans ahead of the new season.
