Leeds United need offensive additions fast, but Daniel Farke must be wary to avoid failures of the past in his transfer haste…
Who else will Leeds United sign this summer?
Already this summer has been a tumultuous one for the Whites, with the hope that their new four additions brought quickly offset by the numerous departures of many of their key first-team stars.
If anything, the Whites simply need bodies in at this point, given that their recent Championship clash with Birmingham City saw them only name eight substitutes, two of which were goalkeepers.
In an effort to bolster their ranks, they could reignite a transfer rumour of old, with their interest in AC Milan’s Divock Origi having only been referenced back in July.
However, with the Belgian having struggled since swapping Liverpool for Milan, perhaps the Yorkshire outfit should look elsewhere rather than opting for the shiniest name being sold from the biggest club. The 28-year-old is valued by FootballTransfers at €8.4m (£7m).
How many goals did Divock Origi score for Liverpool?
Having only moved to the San Siro last summer, to see him touted for another transfer so soon is a damning indication of his recent form in Italy.
The former LOSC Lille star was handed plenty of opportunities to shine during the 2022/23 campaign, with 36 appearances across all competitions. However, for whatever reason, the former Reds favourite could only muster two goals.
Such profligacy on a £84k-per-week wage is the last thing Farke needs, given he is already suffering from some of the club’s high-profile failures of the past.
One such name that remains at Elland Road is Dan James, who was brought in from Manchester United back in 2021.
Signed for a mouth-watering £25m fee, the Welshman was an outcast at Old Trafford and has hardly taken to life in Yorkshire with ease either.
It was a doomed deal from the start, and by signing Origi from a similarly huge team would mark a repeat given his clear exile from the first team.
A club like Leeds, who crave an upturn in their fortunes and a brighter future, should be focusing on investing shrewdly in the unknown, with data backing up their purchases. Then, given the quality and frequency of games in the Championship, these unproven stars can be allowed to adapt and one day shine.
Bringing in these stalwarts might seem like the attractive option, but the chances are it would only end poorly.
Especially when using James as an example, with the winger having made just 43 appearances, scoring a measly four times.
Such abhorrent form even saw the 25-year-old shipped out on loan, where he fared no better for Fulham.
This has been a financial disaster for the club, who have a history of imploding when tumbling down the divisions.
The only benefit that Origi and the huge fiscal burden he would bring has relies on fans misremembering his time at Anfield, as whilst he scored important goals, he was hardly proficient.
A tally of 41 goals in 175 games made it abundantly clear whilst he was never a starter, yet his Champions League semi-final brace against FC Barcelona, and subsequent strike in the final, has understandably made him the “cult hero” that pundit Laura Woods suggested he was.
However, he does not have that consistent scoring touch to offset the reasons against such a signing, which would once again see Leeds take a big club’s unwanted dud.
