Leeds United opted to part ways with sporting director Victor Orta earlier this year after his decisions led to the club being on the verge of relegation to the Championship.
The Whites parted ways with the Spanish chief at the start of May but that was not enough to keep the team up as Sam Allardyce came in to replace Javi Gracia in the dugout and they were relegated from the Premier League.
Orta’s most-expensive Leeds signings | |
|---|---|
Player | Fee (via Transfermarkt and Sky Sports) |
Georginio Rutter | £35.5m |
Brendan Aaronson | £28.4m |
Rodrigo | £25.9m |
Dan James | £25.1 |
Luis Sinisterra | £21.6m |
Orta went through the highs and lows at Elland Road as he played a part in their promotion to the top-flight by appointing Marcelo Bielsa and assembling a squad to win the second tier.
However, the now-Sevilla mastermind also made some questionable moves in the transfer market throughout his almost six seasons in Yorkshire.
One decision that may now come under scrutiny is his sale of central midfielder Mateusz Bogusz, who has thrived since his exit from the club earlier this year – producing more goals and assists than Leeds ace Wilfried Gnonto.
When did Leeds sign Bogusz?
Orta swooped to sign the young gem from Polish side Ruch Chorzow in January of 2019, which was halfway through the club’s first campaign under Bielsa.
The then-18-year-old ace had already broken into his club’s first-team and arrived at Elland Road with 33 senior matches under his belt, in which time the talented whiz had scored five goals and provided one assist from a midfield position.
However, that experience did not allow him to burst straight into Bielsa’s team in England as he failed to make a single appearance for Leeds during the second half of the 2018/19 season.
Bogusz finally made his senior bow during the 2019/20 campaign as he played 17 minutes of their Championship title-winning term and started one EFL Cup clash.
In fact, his first-team debut – against Stoke City in the EFL Cup in August 2019 – was an impressive one as the talented youngster showcased his ability at both ends of the pitch.
As per Sofascore, Bogusz played 90 minutes in central midfield and caught the eye with a pass completion rate of 82% and one chance created, along with a 100% dribble success rate (1/1).
The Polish whiz also displayed his defensive strength with six out of seven duels won, which included three tackles, and these statistics earned him a Sofascore rating of 7.1.
It was an excellent performance from the exciting young prospect, particularly when you consider that it was against a fellow Championship outfit, and some may have thought that it would lead to further chances at first-team level.
However, he had to wait until July 2020 to make his next appearances for Bielsa’s side as the Argentine tactician brought him on for 17 minutes in a 4-0 win against Charlton.
The youngster then spent the following two-and-a-half seasons on loan in the second division of Spanish football with UD Logrones and UD Ibiza.
How much did Orta sell Bogusz for?
Orta reportedly cashed in on the 22-year-old midfielder for a fee of €1m (£900k) to LAFC in March of this year after his time out on loan in Spain in recent years.
The Polish technician did, however, impress in LaLiga 2 during the 2021/22 campaign as he made 20 appearances and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.13.
The central midfielder contributed with four goals and six assists, alongside 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game, as per Sofascore, as the Leeds loanee showcased his ability at both ends of the pitch.
However, his performances were not good enough to convince Orta or then-head coach Jesse Marsch to bring him into the first-team fold at Elland Road for the 2022/23 season.
How has Bogusz performed this year?
Bogusz has enjoyed an impressive year for Ibiza and LAFC – his current club – and displayed his knack for making an impact with goals and assists from midfield.
The right-footed ace produced two goals and zero assists in ten appearances for Ibiza on loan during the first three months of 2023 before his permanent transfer to the MLS from Leeds.
He has since thrived in America with a return of three goals and four assists in 28 league outings for LAFC. The Poland U21 international also has a case to be frustrated with his teammates as he has created nine ‘big chances’ and racked up 4.17 xA (Expected Assists) during that period.
These statistics show that Bogusz, who is able to play as an attacking or central midfielder as well as out on either flank as a winger, can be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch with goals and assists.
How has Gnonto performed this year?
Meanwhile, Gnonto has not produced as many goals and assists combined as the former Leeds prospect, who is on nine for the year so far (five goals and four assists).
The Italy international produced two goals and three assists in 19 Premier League appearances during the second half of last season for the Whites.
A drop down to the Championship has not helped him to find outstanding form in front of goal as the 19-year-old whiz has scored one goal and provided one assist in six league matches so far this term.
However, he does not have a case to have more assists to his name as the teenage maestro has only produced 0.73 xA and has not created a single ‘big chance’ for his teammates during the 2023/24 campaign to date.
This means that Gnonto has three goals and four assists at league level for Leeds throughout 2023 so far, which is two fewer direct goal contributions than Bogusz has managed this year.
At the age of 22, the LAFC star still has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and improve further over the years to come and the decision to sell him may be looked back on with regret.
Whilst it is hard to say whether or not he would have been an excellent option for Daniel Farke this season, Bogusz’s form in Spain and now America suggests that the Whites should have given him an opportunity to impress.
