Farke could land Summerville 2.0 in Leeds move for “unstoppable” 5 ft 8 dynamo

The relentless Championship schedule is already starting to impact Leeds United and their performances as they have dropped points in the last two matches.

Daniel Farke’s side were held to a 1-1 draw last time out against Coventry at Elland Road and that came off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Those two results have left the Whites a staggering ten points adrift of Ipswich Town in second and 13 points behind league-leaders Leicester City, who currently occupy the two automatic promotion places.

Leeds are competing to make an instant return to the Premier League after they were relegated from the top-flight at the end of last season, but will have to do so via the play-offs unless they can oust one of the top two out of the way during the second half of the campaign.

The January transfer window is set to open for business next month and the Yorkshire-based outfit could dip into the market to provide their promotion push with a boost heading into the final few months of the season.

Leeds transfer news – Kerem Akturkoglu

A recent report from Turkish outlet Fanatik claimed that Leeds are one of the teams showing an interest in Galatasaray forward Kerem Akturkoglu.

It was stated that the Whites and Italian side Lazio are both eyeing up the talented whiz ahead of a possible swoop for his services in 2024.

Fanatik also reported that several clubs from England, Italy, and France have been in ‘frequent’ contact with the player’s agents to determine how viable a transfer could be either in January or next summer.

However, it was also claimed that Galatasaray have decided, after an internal meeting to discuss their strategy, that they will not be cashing in on any of their star players and only those already on the transfer list will be allowed to depart.

This means that Leeds could have a tough job on their hands to convince the Turkish giants to part ways with Akturkoglu when the window opens.

However, the sale of one of their current forwards could provide them with the funds to make an attractive offer to Galatasaray, which is where Wilfried Gnonto could come in.

Football Insider recently reported that Leeds could accept an offer for the Italy international in January as the 20-year-old wants to play regular first-team football.

Premier League and Serie A sides are said to be keeping an eye on his situation and it was previously claimed by TEAMtalk that Everton, Roma, and Lazio are keen on the gem, who would cost a fee in the region of £25m.

Cashing in on Gnonto could allow Farke to invest in another forward and this could, therefore, open the door for a swoop for Akturkoglu, who could come in as the manager’s new version of Crysencio Summerville.

Summerville’s season in numbers

The Dutch forward has been in terrific form so far this season in the Championship and has proven to be a reliable attacking outlet for his side.

Summerville managed four goals and two assists in 28 Premier League appearances for Leeds during the 2022/23 campaign as they were relegated to the second tier.

The 22-year-old has been able to use that top-flight experience to become a superstar for the Whites with his electric performances this term.

He has spearheaded Farke’s attack on the left wing and has been one of the best players in the entire division, with his average Sofascore rating of 7.89 topping the league ahead of the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Gabriel Sara, and ex-Leeds forward Jack Clarke.

Summerville is currently third in the league for goals (ten), only behind Sammie Szmodics and Adam Armstrong, and is joint-fifth for assists (six), as it stands.

The impressive left-winger, who has created ten ‘big chances’ for his teammates, is also top of the Leeds squad for key passes (3.1) and dribbles completed (2.7) per game so far this season in the Championship.

These statistics show that the Dutch wizard has the quality to make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch week-in-week-out with his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

He provides variety in his game that makes it difficult for defenders to stop him as Summerville can just as easily dribble on the outside to create a chance for a teammate as he can dribble inside to open up space for himself to score.

The statistics that show why Akturkoglu could be Summerville 2.0

Farke could now land his next version of the Leeds star by securing a deal ahead of Lazio to land Akturkoglu’s signature before the end of next month.

The 25-year-old whiz, who can play out wide on either flank, has been in sublime form for Galatasaray since the start of last season and has the potential to offer similar qualities to Summerville in the final third.

He is a winger who has the ability to contribute with goals and assists at an impressive rate, which could make him a fantastic addition to the squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Last term, Akturkoglu racked up nine goals, 11 assists, and 17 ‘big chances’ created in 34 Turkish Super Lig outings for Galatasaray.

The exciting dynamo has followed that up with a return of four goals, five assists, and 11 ‘big chances’ created in 13 Super Lig starts so far during the 2023/24 campaign.

This means that the Turkey international, who was once described as “unstoppable” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has produced 13 goals, 16 assists, and created 28 ‘big chances’ in his last 47 league outings, which highlights how productive he is at the top end of the pitch.

The Whites target is a right-footed winger, who can play on either side, and has the quality to score and assist goals at an eye-catching rate, just like Farke’s current superstar on the left flank.

Akturkoglu has made 2.9 key passes per game for his teammates this season and only Summerville (3.1) has managed more than that within the Leeds squad.

These statistics all indicate that the 5 foot 8 Turkish sensation could be a phenomenal addition to the club if he is able to translate those performances over to English football, due to the impact he could have on matches with his attacking contributions.