A big update has emerged on Leeds United and their attempts to bolster Daniel Farke’s playing squad before the end of the summer transfer window…
What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?
According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, the Whites have submitted an official offer to sign KRC Genk forward Joseph Paintsil before the deadline passes next Friday.
The reporter has claimed that the club have made a bid of €10m (£8.5m) to land the Ghana international, who was also being eyed up by Championship rivals Southampton before a move to St. Mary’s fell through.
This comes after the Yorkshire-based side confirmed the signing of Joel Piroe from Swansea on a permanent deal on Thursday night, which was the fifth arrival of the summer after Karl Darlow, Sam Byram, Joe Rodon, and Ethan Ampadu.
“Leeds United have tabled an offer for Genk forward Joseph Paintsil. Bid worth 10m Euros. Southampton were keen but that move has fallen through,” the ever-reliable reporter tweeted.
How good is Joseph Paintsil?
The 25-year-old wizard’s sensational form throughout the 2022/23 campaign suggests that he has the potential to be Farke’s next version of Emiliano Buendia, who fired his Norwich side to promotion in 2021 with his exceptional displays on the right flank.
Paintsil racked up an outstanding 17 goals and 11 assists across 34 Pro League starts for Genk last season as the exciting forward showcased his ability to provide a huge threat at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis.
The right-footed whiz created 12 ‘big chances’ for his teammates and only missed six ‘big chances’ of his own, which shows that he was able to produce high-quality opportunities for his fellow attackers and rarely spurned the ones that came his way.
Hitting double figures for goals and assists is no easy feat, particularly when you consider that no Leeds midfielder or winger managed more than seven Premier League goals or assists respectively during the 2022/23 campaign.
This suggests that Paintsil, who was hailed as “phenomenal” by AllLeedsTV presenter Oscar Marrio, has the potential to be a sublime option for the German head coach as a player who can offer the duel threat of being a scorer and creator of goals from out wide, which is exactly what Buendia was for Farke.
The Argentina international won the Championship Player of the Year award for his performances throughout the 2020/21 season as he amassed 15 goals and 16 assists in 39 starts for the Canaries on their way to the title.
Buendia, who created 18 ‘big chances’ and missed ten, was the star man of Norwich’s promotion to the Premier League that year with his ability to score and assist goals week-in-week-out to win vital points for his side.
Paintsil’s form for Genk last term suggests that he could be a similarly pivotal figure within Farke’s attacking set-up this season if he is able to carry his form over to England.
The £8.5m gem has proven himself to be capable of finding the back of the net on a regular basis whilst also being able to pick out a killer pass when required to set up a teammate from a wide position, which could make him a special player for the Whites if they are able to snap him up.
