Farke could unearth his next Skipp in Leeds move for 5 ft 11 “pressing machine”

Leeds United have the opportunity to improve their playing squad this month as the January transfer window officially opened for business on Monday.

The Whites could look to add more quality to their group of players in the hope that it propels them into the automatic promotion places over the next five months.

They were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season and are vying to secure an instant return to the top-flight this year.

However, Daniel Farke’s side are currently fourth in the division and seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second place, which shows that they have plenty to do to finish inside the top two.

This suggests that they are in need of an addition or two to boost their efforts and one player who could be an excellent signing for Leeds is Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos.

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Speaking on CaughtOffside’s YouTube channel earlier this week, reporter Ben Jacobs named the Whites as one of the clubs who could be in the market to land the Blues prospect.

The journalist claimed that Premier League side Crystal Palace are interested in the Brazilian youngster but there is also interest from teams in the Championship.

Santos was recently recalled by Chelsea after a failed loan spell with Nottingham Forest in the top-flight during the first half of the campaign and this has opened the door for another club to swoop in for his services.

Jacobs named Ipswich Town as a team to watch out for in the race to sign the 19-year-old battler but also claimed that Leeds could be part of the race.

Archie Gray started the season as a defensive midfield option for Farke but has since established himself as the first-choice right-back option for the German head coach.

The 17-year-old talent has been a consistent performer, in spite of his young age and inexperience, at full-back for Leeds and this has meant that he has not been available to the manager in the middle of the park.

This has left Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara, and Ilia Gruev as his only natural central midfield players to call upon, which is why the Whites could be in the market to add another number eight to the group before the end of the window.

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Farke must now push the club to strike a deal with Chelsea to bring Santos to Elland Road on loan for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.

The former Norwich City head coach enjoyed great success in the loan market in his last promotion success in the Championship with the signing of Ollie Skipp on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

He could now repeat that masterclass with another impressive loanee from a top-flight club in the middle of the park, as Santos could be his next version of the Spurs prodigy this year.

Skipp’s Norwich career in numbers

The now-23-year-old spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Norwich in the second tier to gain valuable first-team football in Norfolk under Farke.

He went on to play an integral role in their title success as the Canaries were promoted up to the Premier League, partly thanks to Skipp’s fantastic performances in midfield week-in-week-out.

The Spurs youngster played 45 of their 46 league matches throughout the season and caught the eye with his defensive solidity in front of the back four and his progressive passing in possession.

Skipp averaged 3.3 tackles and interceptions per match for the Yellows and came out on top in 56% of his duels in the middle of the park, which shows that he held his own in physical contests.

He ranked within the top 19% of Championship midfielders that season for tackles (2.33) and the top 22% for blocks (1.33) per 90, which illustrates how impressive he was at cutting out opposition attacks and putting his body on the line for the team.

The Norwich star also showcased his ability on the ball with a pass accuracy of 87.6%, which placed him within the top 1% of midfielders. Skipp was also within the top 28% of his positional peers for progressive passes (4.86) per 90.

These statistics show that the England U21 international made an impact in and out of possession for the Canaries with his defensive interventions and his progressive, and reliable, passing.

The statistics that show why Santos could be Skipp 2.0

Farke could now unearth his next Skipp in Santos as the teenage dynamo has the potential to offer similar qualities in midfield for the Leeds boss.

The 5 foot 11 starlet has not had an opportunity to showcase his ability in English football as of yet but his previous form for Brazil U20s and Vasco da Gama in his home country suggests that the talent is there.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him as a “pressing machine” and that is backed up by his impressive defensive statistics for club and country.

At the U20 World Cup in 2023, Santos started five matches for Brazil and caught the eye with an outstanding 5.2 tackles and interceptions per game.

No Leeds player, in any position, has managed more than 3.5 tackles and interceptions per match in the Championship this season, which illustrates how impressive the Brazilian gem’s performances were at that tournament.

Santos also averaged 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 38 Serie B appearances for Vasco da Gama as an 18-year-old in 2022.

These statistics show that the Chelsea prospect has the defensive quality to come in as a Skipp-esque figure for Farke as a central midfielder who can provide an outstanding shield in front of the back four.

The 19-year-old whiz also has the potential to make an impact in possession. During the 2022 Serie B campaign, Santos plundered eight goals and created four ‘big chances’ in his 38 matches.

This suggests that he is a dynamic midfielder who can push forward to join in with the attack to be a difference-maker in the final third, to go along with his impressive defending.

Therefore, Farke could unearth his next Skipp by signing another fantastic defensive midfielder on loan from a Premier League club to bolster a Championship promotion push.