Leeds United reunion serves as summer transfer reminder of issue Nick Hammond must resolve - YEP 22/6/23

Old Trafford is just about the least natural venue of all for a Leeds United reunion, certainly the least favourite, but that's where football's quirky nature brought two Whites promotion heroes together on Monday night.

By Graham Smyth

Kalvin Phillips and Gjanni Alioski did battle in the colours of England and North Macedonia, the former scoring his first international goal and the latter getting a bit of a chasing from Bukayo Saka. There's no shame in that, not when you consider the season Arsenal's devastatingly quick and skilful 21-year-old has put together. As was noted in commentary, Alioski is an attacking full-back, a winger-turned-defender and his team's inability to stop the service to Saka did him no favours.

Regardless, the ex-Leeds man was able to put a smile on his face after the game when he posed for a photo with Phillips. He signed autographs for Leeds fans, too, in what was a first real opportunity for admirers to see him in the flesh since his exit from the club.

There was no real in-person farewell for Alioski when his time at Elland Road came to an end. On the last day of that first Premier League season he was simply a player who might depart, whereas Pablo Hernandez and Gaetano Berardi were definitely on their way and so afforded the due adoration from those in the stands.

It wasn't until July 28 that Alioski addressed his exit, 23 days after Leeds had confirmed it. A deal had been offered but better was on offer elsewhere and on July 29 he joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli. In the time that has passed since, two difficult years and a pair of relegation battles, only one of which was won, it has been tempting to look back on Leeds' efforts to keep Alioski and wonder if it was worth their while doing more. Junior Firpo, who came in as the next big thing at left-back, the man who was to take the shirt and carry it forward to a better place, has struggled so badly in terms of injuries, form and defensive duels, that any of Alioski's frailties were forgiven or forgotten by the many who would happily have swapped back.

Yet although Alioski did show improvement in his defensive actions in his single Premier League campaign, it was what he did going the other way that most endeared him to supporters. He was a bundle of energy who got up and down the flank, arriving in the area with timing that brought five goals and five assists in the promotion season. Promotion lessened his offensive output but did not deaden it completely.

What stands out about Alioski's last two seasons at Leeds is that he was one half of an understanding that proved pivotal for Leeds, both in getting promoted to the top flight and in setting about it with such ferocity in 2020/21.

Alioski and Jack Harrison played together in 67 of the 84 league matches across those two campaigns and, understandably given they occupied the same flank, passed to each other more than any other player on 26 occasions. They were able to build up a rapport, knowing where the other would go if a run was to be made in the final third. Scott Parker, believed to be among the managerial candidates for the Elland Road vacancy, once said Leeds attacked with 'scripted movements' and he was right in a sense because under Marcelo Bielsa they drilled and honed movements to perfection at Thorp Arch. Fulham, as it happens, did quite well to hamper the Whites on that day and their 2-1 victory was the ultimate argument winner, but Leeds still did create chances and held danger down the left, through the Alioski and Harrison partnership. Fulham won that battle and come the end of the season Alioski, Harrison and Leeds had won the war.

The 3-0 win over Fulham later that season was a key result en route to automatic promotion and though Alioski only came on at the break, their understanding proved crucial. Harrison made two chances for Alioski who scored one of them. Harrison went on to find the net himself but had he looked up, Alioski was right there in the middle making a supporting run.

In those two seasons Harrison created nine chances for his full-back and the Fulham assist was one of a pair. Alioski in turn set Harrison up for a brace of goals and made five goalscoring opportunities for him.

They knew how to find each other and did so, frequently. In 28 matches Harrison's most frequent pass destination was the Macedonian. On 37 occasions Alioski passed the ball to Harrison more times than anyone else. Bielsa wanted width, he wanted a winger and a full-back who could get each other to the byline and those two gave Leeds a functioning, offensive left flank.

Now they're going to have to build another one for a new promotion bid because even in the implausible event of Harrison staying - Champions League level interest will surely trump a Championship return - Junior Firpo will certainly not. It's time for a new left-sided partnership.

Nostalgia will, up to a point, keep a bubbling undercurrent of desire to see an old favourite like Alioski return. There's Charlie Taylor too, an ex-Leeds left-back who won promotion with Burnley and will probably depart Turf Moor this summer having struggled to nail down his place under Vincent Kompany.

Had Andrea Radrizzani remained in charge a comeback for Alioski would have felt likely - he had a good relationship with the man who will shortly no longer call himself Leeds United owner.

Regardless of who lines up at left-back when the Championship season kicks off, though, Leeds could do worse than attempting to recreate what they once had down that touchline, if not in personnel then in profile and style. A rarely-injured, high-energy left-back with a thirst for goals, playing behind Willy Gnonto perhaps if the Italian stays, and a consistent run of games that allows a genuine partnership to form.

The same could be said about the right side, although the starting right-back is already in the building and Leeds just have to decide if they're going to convince Cody Drameh he's the one for them or if it'll be either Luke Ayling or Rasmus Kristensen instead.

Left-back is where Nick Hammond can make the fans particularly happy this summer, though. Sign a left-back, a good and proper one, has been the mantra of too many transfer windows. That signing will hold one of the keys to a reunion between Leeds and the Premier League and a return to competitive league action at their least favourite ground.