Leeds United's transfer window changed in one moment — now questions linger about survival — Leeds Live 2/9/25
The verdict on Leeds United's summer transfer window - what happened and what it means
Leeds United’s transfer window can be defined in two halves;
before Igor Paixao and after Igor Paixao.
The summer started off so smoothly. Free agent Lukas Nmecha
was a bolt from the blue. Jaka Bijol said yes to a Leeds United transfer before
terms were settled. Sebastiaan Bornauw and Gabriel Gudmundsson shored up the
defence. Only £20m was dished out.
Leeds were preparing to jet off to Sweden when the news
broke that a fourth bid for Sean Longstaff had been successful. The swift
arrivals thereafter of Anton Stach and Lucas Perri during the pre-season tour
in Germany had supporters back home buzzing.
Both sporting director Adam Underwood and Robbie Evans were
in Harsewinkel at various stages, though both had to make trips across borders
during the week abroad. When the transfer window shifts, you have to move with
it.
Databases and luring techniques
Leeds Live reported in early June that Paixao was open to a
move to Elland Road with the right deal. At the end of July, United were in
advanced talks with the Brazilian.
He was reminded of the success of Raphinha, shown impressive
TV viewing figures and played clips of the atmosphere of Elland Road in attempt
to lure him in. Paraag Marathe and other senior figures held a call with the
winger. New signing and countryman Perri also spoke to him.
One high-ranking source had outlined that the 49ers were
adopting an ambitious policy. The 49ers made a clear policy. Aim high on the
off-chance they say yes. Paixao was a case point.
Targets this summer were drawn up via a mixture of scouting,
manager recommendations and data, which was so detailed that it includes
metrics such as running gait. Options were then fine-tuned into a shortlist and
approaches were made by Underwood as early as April.
If a player approached rejected interest, they moved away -
but if intrigue was shown, they would venture forth. The recruitment team
decided that they would bring in a similar profile of player for each certain
position, so if the first choice pick was unavailable, the next in line
possesses similar attributes and retains the team equilibrium.
A key theme this summer has been height and career-peak age.
All but one signing have been over six-foot and the profiling policy can be
seen in the arrivals of Stach and Longstaff in midfield, and James Justin at
full-back.
Paixao was a Daniel James-type figure at 5ft 7in. He was
also on the radar of Marseille, a Champions League club. The chase of the
25-year-old was very much an ambitious target. Frankly, Leeds did well to get
so close.
But ultimately, Marseille won out, that time was lost and
Leeds were forced to pivot. It was a seminal moment. Since that point, momentum
started to unravel.
Further first choice frustration
Rodrigo Muniz was United’s top target for the majority of
this window. The player’s side had been receptive to talks but Fulham remained
stubborn on a sale. Leeds had hoped that a striker signing for the Cottagers
would open the door for Muniz. But the wait was too long.
With Fulham staying firm and the emergence that Atalanta had
caught the eye of Muniz, Leeds pivoted quickly. Within 48 hours, Leeds had gone
from fixing their gaze on Muniz to welcoming Dominic Calvert-Lewin through the
door.
Unverified reports state the former Everton striker had
split with his agent within this period. Calvert-Lewin was someone the club
always kept tabs on but felt was beyond their reach. Suddenly, he wasn’t and he
was at Thorp Arch undergoing a medical.
Again, when the transfer window shifts, you have to move
with it. This happened with the swift securing of goalkeeper Perri.
Except this time, with Calvert-Lewin, there was a sense some
air had been let out the balloon. Calvert-Lewin’s injury record is well-known
and some fans feel going from Muniz to the England international is not only a
risk but an outright gamble.
Both he and Nmecha fit the transfer profile criteria but
both have had battles to stay on the pitch this season. Left winger Noah Okafor
has also had a history with setbacks and spent Saturday’s goalless draw with
Newcastle United sitting on the bench with a groin issue.
He too, on paper, is a less exciting signing than primary
target Paixao. At 25, he is the youngest of all the signings and the jury is
out on what kind of player Leeds have bought.
If the theme of the first half of the window was success and
hope, the second half has been anxiety and frustration. Full-back Justin is a
shrewd signing, although the decision to hand him a four-year deal amid injury
worry and age of 27 is notable.
Needless to say, all of the alternatives to second choice
options have been underwhelming. Pressure on the recruitment team ramped up as
a result.
Facundo Buonanotte’s late U-turn rejection surprised club
figures and left them annoyed. Harry Wilson’s late collapse on deadline day
rubs it in.
Farke’s final calls
Daniel Farke made it clear on Saturday that more attacking
reinforcement was needed to survive in the Premier League before 7pm today.
None came. This is perhaps the most crucial summer in his managerial career.
It might be his last shot of proving himself as a Premier
League level boss given his struggles with Norwich City. This time he has money
behind his plans. He has made some unpopular decisions this summer.
Some are still unsure whether the decision to oust Patrick
Bamford from his plans is wise, while the decision to keep Jack Harrison upset
many Leeds diehards initially. No one will forget and some may not forgive his
decision to spend two years out on loan at Everton.
He is slowly winning a large portion of fans around. Farke
says it is up to him to win supporters back around by working hard and being
tenacious.
The manager has shown he is willing to give players a second
chance, as seen with Brenden Aaronson, but he will not stand in the way of
players who wish to leave. Clearly, Largie Ramazani was not happy with his
pecking order position upon the arrival of Noah Okafor.
He was left out against Arsenal purely down the squad
limitations. Some fans are less than pleased with the winger being allowed to
go out on loan for Valencia, where he has already picked up an assist.
His loan not including an option to buy hints that he still
yet has a future at Leeds, possibly. Earlier in the summer, Farke was left
unimpressed by Mateo Joseph's decision to down tools amid his desire to leave
Leeds.
He urged the striker to travel to Germany for pre-season and
“be professional” but the Spaniard stayed at home. Leeds hope his loan at
Mallorca will raise his value for a sale next year.
Financial management
And this is an important note to take. The Leeds hierarchy
have pointed to the period after the season ends and before the new PSR
accounting period on July 1 as an opportunity to sell players within the
current financial term.
The club were mindful of PSR limits in the final days of the
window having spent more than £100m on 10 signings.
The sales of Rasmus Kristensen, Sam Greenwood and Darko
Gyabi - as well as small fees for the loan of Max Wober to Werder Bremen and
full exit of academy defender Diogo Monteiro - means the Whites have only
drummed up an initial figure of around £10m.
If Bremen decide to activate Isaac Schmidt’s purchase clause
in his loan deal before June 30, then this would come under the current
financial period. Joe Gelhardt might also be sold by then following his loan at
Hull City, with a year left on his deal. But neither are guarantees.
The verdict
More than £100m has been spent yet there are still major
questions about whether Leeds have done enough. Paraag Marathe vowed earlier
this year to spend every penny he was allowed to under PSR.
Club sources have outlined that to bring in both Paixao and
Muniz, one of the club’s existing main players would have had to be sold. The
likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Pascal Struijk would have brought in the most
on-the-books profit.
Yet the club have decided to keep the core of the squad
untouched and build around it. Is that the right choice? Only time will tell.
For now the jury remains out, and look less than impressed.
