Leeds United are in the hunt to secure an automatic return to the Premier League at the first time of asking in the Championship this season.
The Whites are currently fourth in the table and seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second but still have 20 matches left to play to fight for a top two spot.
Daniel Farke arrived at Elland Road with a terrific track record in this division as the German tactician had won two Championship titles during his time with Norwich City.
However, his side are now a staggering 17 points behind league leaders Leicester City, who have won an astonishing 21 of their 26 matches.
Leeds have won just two of their last six matches and have had an issue with breaking down low blocks – scoring twice in clashes with Sunderland, West Brom, Preston, and Coventry combined during that run.
The January transfer window is now open and this provides Farke with the opportunity to add more creativity to his squad to avoid a repeat of those struggles during the second half of the campaign.
Leeds transfer news – David Brooks
With this in mind, the former Borussia Monchengladbach boss must now pursue a deal to sign Bournemouth attacker David Brooks, who could be the manager’s next Todd Cantwell.
TalkSPORT reporter Alex Crooks recently claimed that Leeds and Southampton are both interested in a possible swoop to bring the Wales international back down to the Championship.
They are both said to be gunning for a loan deal for the talented wizard to bolster their respective squads before the end of the window.
Speaking live on talkSPORT (29/12), via LeedsAllOver, Crooks also claimed that the Whites are planning a fairly busy month of business to give themselves the best chance of an immediate return to the top-flight.
He also added that the player could be looking to head out on loan to play regular football as the technically gifted gem has not played much so far this season for the Cherries.
Angus Kinnear did reveal, back in October 2023, that there would be funds available for Farke to work with in January if it was deemed that the squad needed strengthening.
The Leeds chief also pointed out that the club still had loan spots available to work with, which aligns with their pursuit of a temporary deal for Brooks.
It is now down to Nick Hammond and Farke to secure a deal to bring the Bournemouth gem to Yorkshire before the end of the month as he has the potential to be an excellent addition.
It has been a horrible couple of years for Brooks since he was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2021 and subsequently given the all-clear in May 2022.
He is now trying to get back to his best and Leeds could offer him the opportunity to play regular football at a level where he has proven his quality already.
Todd Cantwell’s Championship form under Farke
Brooks could become the German’s next version of Cantwell, who was a terrific attacking midfielder and wide attacker for him in the Championship during their time together at Norwich.
The now-Rangers star first broke onto the scene during the 2018/19 campaign and played a bit-part role in their title success as an up-and-coming academy talent.
Cantwell played 24 of their 46 matches and started 18 times in total. In that time, he contributed with one goal, two assists, and six ‘big chances’ created.
He then plundered six goals in 30 Premier League starts the following campaign as the Canaries were relegated at the first opportunity.
That relegation provided him, and Farke, with another opportunity to shine in the Championship. The talented whiz went on to rack up six goals and six assists in 30 starts during the 2020/21 campaign as Norwich won another second tier title.
He showcased his creativity with seven ‘big chances’ created and 1.7 key passes per game to open up opposition defences for the likes of Emiliano Buendia and Teemu Pukki to exploit.
During that season, Cantwell also ranked within the top 4% of his positional peers for progressive passes (6.14) and the top 7% for shot-creating actions (4.41) per 90.
The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Brooks
Brooks is a player who has the potential to offer similar qualities to Cantwell, as an attacking midfielder who can be deployed centrally or out wide.
He has struggled for game time so far this season and has only started two of his 12 Premier League appearances, and contributed with one goal and one assist.
However, the left-footed whiz proved his quality at Championship level before his health issues during the 2020/21 campaign, which was the same season in which Cantwell thrived for Norwich.
The Welsh magician started 25 league matches for the Cherries and produced five goals, six assists, and six ‘big chances’ created for his side.
He also ranked within the top 15% of his positional peers in the division that term for progressive passes (4.36) and the top 28% for shot-creating actions (3.23) per 90.
Most similar players to Brooks in 20/21 Championship (via FBref) | |
|---|---|
Player | Rank |
Ilias Chair | 1 |
Jed Wallace | 2 |
Todd Cantwell | 3 |
Harvey Elliott | 4 |
Junior Stanislas | 5 |
These statistics suggest that Brooks has the potential to provide similar qualities to Cantwell in terms of his contributions as a scorer and a creator of goals, as well as his progressive play from a midfield position to move his team up the pitch and into dangerous positions.
Journalist Josh Bunting once described him as a “creative spark” for Bournemouth and that is exactly what he could be for Leeds if Farke can get him back to the best of his ability.
It would be a risk to sign the £50k-per-week talent, as he has not been at that level since the 2020/21 campaign due to his health issues, but it is a deal with the potential to be highly rewarding if he can rediscover his form to be Farke’s new Cantwell.
A loan deal would mean that there is no long-term risk for the Whites as they could send him back to Bournemouth at the end of the campaign if it does not work out.
