The race to secure promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2023/24 campaign is hotting up and Leeds United are currently in the mix to return to the top-flight at the first time of asking.
They were relegated from the top table of English football last season, as the combined efforts of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce failed to avoid the drop.
The Whites are now aiming to get back at the first attempt and hired Championship specialist Daniel Farke over the summer to help their efforts.
He won two second tier titles with Norwich City earlier in his career and currently has Leeds third in the division and ten points off the automatic promotion places after 22 matches.
Leicester City are 13 points clear of the club and currently running away with the league as it stands, with the supremely talented Stephy Mavididi helping to lead the charge.
Farke could now land his own version of the former Arsenal prospect by securing a deal to sign Ilias Chair during the upcoming January transfer window.
Leeds transfer news – Ilias Chair
The Queens Park Rangers star recently told Football League World that he is currently focused on helping his side move away from a relegation battle.
However, the attacking midfielder did not rule out an exit from Loftus Road as he said that it would simply be something that he would have to think about when the time comes.
This comes after the Morocco international was linked with a possible move away from the London-based outfit during the summer transfer window.
Journalist Darren Witcoop claimed that Championship giants Leicester and Leeds, who had both just been relegated from the Premier League, were interested in a swoop for the talented gem.
The reporter stated that the Whites were prepared to meet QPR’s asking price of £6m but they left it too late in the window for them to sign a replacement.
This meant that Gareth Ainsworth, who was the manager at the time, kept hold of his star attacker as he was not able to bring in a player to take Chair’s place.
The January transfer window is now due to open in just over a week and Leeds could return to strike a deal early in the month in order to provide QRP with enough time to spend the £6m – provided that is still enough to reach an agreement – on targets of their own.
Football Insider recently claimed that the Whites could accept an offer for Italy international Wilfried Gnonto in January to bolster their transfer funds, which could facilitate a move for Chair if Farke decides to go back in for the Moroccan whiz.
This could then provide the German tactician with his own version of the impressive Mavididi, who has been on fire in the Championship this term.
Mavididi’s season in numbers
Leicester swooped to sign the English dynamo from French side Montpellier during the summer transfer window and he has hit the ground running in the second tier.
The 25-year-old magician did not arrive at the King Power off the back of a strong season as the winger had only managed four goals and two assists in 26 Ligue 1 games for his former club during the 2022/23 campaign.
Mavididi decided to drop out of one of the major European leagues to play in the Championship and it looks to have been a great decision as the gem has been in fantastic form this term.
The Foxes forward has racked up seven goals and four assists, to go along with 1.6 key passes per game, across 22 league outings for Enzo Maresca.
He has been a valuable outlet for his side on the flank with his ability to carry the ball up the pitch. Mavididi currently ranks within the top 8% of wingers and attacking midfielders in the Championship for progressive carries (5.69) per 90.
![[FBCharts] Stephy Mavididi](https://static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/fbcharts-stephy-mavididi.png?q=50&fit=crop&dpr=1.5)
This shows that the former Juventus prospect is an excellent dribbler who is positive on the ball and looks to bring the ball forward to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.
His aforementioned attacking statistics also show that he has the quality to provide goals, chances created, and assists when he gets into those advanced areas through his ball-carrying.
Chair could arrive at Elland Road and provide similar qualities to the Leicester star if Farke can secure his services for £6m in January.
The statistics that show why Chair could be Mavididi 2.0
The QPR star, like Mavididi, is a right-footed attacker who can play through the middle or out wide and he has the ability to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.
In the Championship this season, the 26-year-old wizard ranks within the top 15% of his positional peers for both progressive passes (5.06) and progressive carries (4.61) per 90, whilst also being in the top 20% for successful take-ons (2.0) per 90.
He has coupled that with two goals, four assists, and 1.4 key passes per game across 21 league outings for his club so far this term.
However, that is not the peak of his attacking powers as the Morocco international produced five goals, nine assists, and 2.4 key passes per match across 40 Championship outings last season.
22/23 Championship | Chair (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
Appearances | 40 |
Sofascore rating | 7.12 |
Goals | Five |
Assists | Nine |
Big chances created | 12 |
Dribbles completed | 56 |
These statistics suggest that there is more to come from the EFL magician than what he is currently showing on the pitch and a move to Leeds, who are flying high at the top of the table instead of battling at the bottom, could help him to showcase his attacking quality more frequently.
FBref list Mavididi as one of the most similar players to Chair, who current boss Marti Cifuentes hailed as “terrific”, based on their respective statistics so far this season in the Championship.
They are both midfielders who can progress the ball forward with their dribbling skills, and they can both chip in with goals and assists to punish opposition teams in the final third.
This is why Farke could land his own version of the Leicester star by securing a deal for the £6m-rated ace ahead of the second half of the season.
