Graham Smyth highlights concern over reported Leeds United transfer target — YEP 24/1/24

-

The Yorkshire Evening Post's reporters have had their say on one of the reported Leeds United transfer targets.

By Jamie Kemble

Leeds United reporters Graham Smyth and Joe Donnohue have been discussing the potential signing of Ben Godfrey and where the Everton star would fit in. Godfrey has been linked with a potential move to Elland Road having struggled for regular game time at Everton.

Daniel Farke and Godfrey share a Norwich City past, and with Leeds needing more depth at the back, Godfrey has been mooted as a solution, given he is a centre-back who can play as a full-back. Godfrey was being tipped for a £15million move to Atalanta this month, but the move broke down due to Serie A rule tweaks.

Leeds are now being tipped to strike a deal, but chief YEP football writer Graham Smyth is concerned about where Godfrey might fit in at Leeds. He said on the latest Inside Elland Road Podcast: "I think business could still be done with a club like Everton, even if there have been some difficulties, shall we say, of an off-field nature.

"I guess the big problem is convincing someone like Ben Godfrey that he is actually going to play if he comes here. Is he going to get ahead of Rodon? Seems very, very unlikely. Is Farke suddenly going to go off the idea of Archie Gray?"

Fellow Leeds reporter Joe Donnohue replied: "Theoretically, I can see Godfrey being used as an almost third centre-back on the right and allowing whoever is there on the left, a Firpo or a Byram, to push on, in the way we have seen with Leicester, with Wout Faes playing at left-back, and he is a centre-back, allowing Ricardo Pereira to attack on the other side."

To that proposal, Smyth added: "It's not too dissimilar to what we have seen at times with Leeds this season. We saw early on with Farke-ball was Archie Gray, playing as a central midfielder, was dropping in and receiving the ball at right-back, while Luke Ayling went and played like a second winger up the right, so we have seen that this season."

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

-
Will Butcher West Ham United are closing in on a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United, and Ben Jacobs has shared how much Leeds will receive for the Dutchman. The 22-year-old has been strongly linked with the Elland Road exit door all summer and was targeted as the one big sale Leeds needed to make before the Profit & Sustainability Rules deadline this month. But instead, Leeds sold Archie Gray for £40m to Tottenham. Leeds have since sold five more players in the form of Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, Kris Klaesson and Charlie Cresswell – raking in around £60m in total. But more exits were always likely and Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday afternoon that West Ham had agreed personal terms with Summerville, and talks for a fee were ongoing with the Yorkshire side. Now, the story has moved on with multiple sources claiming a deal is done between Leeds and Angus Kinnear’s old club. The Dutchman is expected to sign a five-year at the London Stadium, until Jun...
Read more

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

-
By Joe Donnohue Leeds United have confirmed supporters' commemorative stones at Elland Road's Centenary Square will be replaced free of charge in a bid to improve their longevity. Beginning next month, Leeds supporters' personalised stones will be replaced with exact replicas, courtesy of a new company, to ensure of a 'much better quality' installation. The work is expected to take around two months to complete. An official club statement confirmed 'three larger stones dedicated to former managers Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and Marcelo Bielsa' will also be installed, 'similar to those located in Bremner Square', while additional space for supporters to purchase new stones has also been factored into the project. “The club have taken on board recent feedback from supporters on the stones at Centenary Square, and we are really happy that we can now announce that all of the stones will be replaced," chief executive Angus Kinnear confirmed,...
Read more

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24

-
By Graham Smyth Leeds United are not actively looking to cash in on Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto and believe any further outgoing transfer business will be done on their terms. The Whites, who sold Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday for £40m, expect that there will be continued interest in wing pair Summerville and Gnonto as the summer transfer window progresses. Summerville has been a target for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion but their interest has not yet materialised into a bid. The Albion did, however, send a £30m proposal for Georginio Rutter, which Elland Road chiefs rejected. Rutter is not expected to try and force an exit this summer and appears settled at Leeds after a far more positive second season in English football. The sale of Gray has helped put Leeds into a position where they do not need to sell star players and can dictate any moves that do happen. Club sources say they are not actively looking to sell the likes of Summerville o...
Read more