Leeds United to look for ‘tried and tested’ talent amid £7m Bright Osayi-Samuel news
Leeds United should be looking for more “tried and tested” talent amid reports they tabled a £7million bid for Fenerbahce ace Bright Osayi-Samuel, Paul Robinson has said.
Turkish news outlet Gazetedamga reported on 13 March that the Whites had made a bid for the former QPR man, who can play at right wing or right back, but the Super Lig giants asked for negotiations to be postponed until the summer.
Osayi-Samuel previously played in England for Blackpool and QPR but has yet to feature in the top flight in England.
With Leeds well in contention to make it back to the top flight next season, former Whites goalkeeper Robinson – speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News – thinks the price tag might be a bit high for a player who is not guaranteed to get in the starting XI.
“He’s a player many, like me, will know very little about. You read about the transfer links but actually the opportunity to watch them in the Turkish league you don’t get a lot of those unless we’re covering games in European football,” Robinson said.
“He’s a player I know very little about, £7million appears to be a big price tag for someone out of the Turkish league.
“You look at the quality Leeds have got in those areas, and going into the Premier League with an untried, untested player.
“If you’re going to be spending that kind of money I’d much prefer it to be spent on Joe Rodon and guarantee you signigns like that.
“I think if you’re taking an opportunity like that there has to be a lot of trust in your scouting network, there has to be due diligence done on players of that age and that quality.
“I think £7m going forward for Leeds with Premier League money, hopefully it won’t be the biggest transfer they do, but if they are looking to pay around that type of bracket for players, from a personal point of view, I’d like a little more tried and tested in a more difficult league.
“Not necessarily the Premier League because you don’t know how players can cope with the Premier League until they come into it but a bit more quality at a higher level that would have an impact.
“Because a player like that, yes the reputation and potential is there, but does he immediately come into the side and take out Gnonto, Summerville, Rutter, Bamford? You would argue not.
“So, for Leeds United to pay such a transfer fee I would like to think it would be on a player that would have an impact on the starting XI.”
Will Leeds United make a move for Bright Osayi-Samuel?
From a Leeds perspective, the lure of Osayi-Samuel is probably the versatility he brings – especially given they have had issues at full-back with Archie Gray – more at home in midfield – deputising at right-back this term.
And at £7m it represents a relatively risk-free signing (so long as they make the Premier League) so there is an element of that too.
But, of course, the Premier League – should Leeds get there – represents an altogether tougher prospect than the Championship so they would need to be sure of his ability to step up.
One thing is for sure, though, Daniel Farke will have the trust of supporters to get it right in the transfer market regardless of who he targets.
In other Leeds United news, John Hartson reacted to what happened to Dan James.
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