Leeds United are reportedly looking to bolster their playing squad when the January transfer window officially opens for business next month.
Leeds transfer news – Bright Osayi-Samuel
According to TEAMtalk, the Whites are one of three English sides in the race to land Fenerbahce defender Bright Osayi-Samuel ahead of the second half of the season.
The report has claimed that Premier League teams Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace are also eyeing up a swoop for the Nigeria international.
It is stated that Palace are currently ahead of Leeds and Wolves in the pursuit of the former QPR star and there is no mention of how much he would cost in January.
Daniel Farke could, though, ditch Luke Ayling by securing a deal to sign Osayi-Samuel ahead of the two top-flight clubs at the turn of the year.
Luke Ayling’s season in numbers
The veteran full-back has lost his starting place to 17-year-old Archie Gray, who is a central midfielder by trade, under the German head coach this season.
He has only made eight Championship starts and featured in 14 league matches in total since the club were relegated from the Premier League.
Ayling has averaged 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game, with a duel success rate of 53%, but has also been dribbled past 1.1 times per match and only been successful with 24% of his attempted dribbles in those 14 outings.
The 32-year-old battler has also contributed with one goal and one assist from right-back, and these statistics have not done enough to convince Farke that he has what it takes to be his first-choice option in that position.
Bringing in a new number two, in Osayi-Samuel, would leave Ayling further down the pecking order and allow the manager to part ways with him in January, or next summer when his contract expires.
The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Osayi-Samuel
The Whites target has been a regular starter for Fenerbahce and caught the eye with his impressive defensive displays for the Turkish giants.
Osayi-Samuel has averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions combined per match, with a duel success rate of 59%, and has only been dribbled past 0.3 times per clash across 12 Super Lig appearances.
These statistics show that the 25-year-old, who is seven years younger than Ayling, can win possession back more frequently than the current Leeds defender and does not allow opposition players to get the better of him anywhere near as often as the English dud.
22/23 Super Lig | Osayi-Samuel (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
Appearances | 23 |
Starts | Ten |
Duel success rate | 51% |
Dribble success rate | 48% |
Assists | Zero |
The Fenerbahce star, who has improved since his struggles last season, also has experience in English football. During his time with QPR, manager Mark Warburton claimed that he “terrifies defenders” with his sheer pace.
Throughout the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns combined, Osayi-Samuel racked up eight goals, ten assists, and 13 ‘big chances’ created in 54 Championship starts as a winger.
This suggests that the £40k-per-week whiz has the potential to offer quality as an attacking force if Farke can get the best out of him, whilst also being an upgrade on Ayling from a defensive perspective, which is why Leeds could ditch their experienced dud with a swoop for him.
