Leeds United to pay ‘Huge’ premium for new transfers before August 30
Leeds United will have to pay a “huge premium” for new transfers before deadline day due to their desperation for new signings, says former Whites midfielder David Norris.
The former Whites midfielder says clubs will look to rinse Daniel Farke’s side for what they can get for any potential signings, with Georginio Rutter’s expected move to Brighton leaving the club with just 19 registered first-team players.
Despite receiving large sums after being raided for their star players, Leeds are yet to spend big and have scoured the loan market, with Bobby Clark the latest player they look to have missed out on as Liverpool are ready to sell instead to RB Salzburg [BBC Sport, 14 August].
Exclusively speaking to MOT Leeds News, Norris said: “It could get to a stage where we get to the last couple of days of the window and Leeds are forced to pay a huge premium for players they turn out to be desperate for.
“Bobby Clark is a sign of that – Liverpool wanted to sell rather than loan, and they know Leeds need midfield replacements so they’ve played hardball, and now Leeds have missed out.
“It’ll just drag on. They’ll be held to ransom in the final days of the window if they’re not careful, it’s a difficult situation.”
Leeds United in transfer predicament
Bobby Clark, Jonathan Rowe, Callum O’Hare – just a handful of the names Leeds have swooped in and failed to capture so far in this window.
The ire at Elland Road is not just that significant sale money isn’t being reinvested – fans are aware of the PSR books they have had to balance – but it’s the sheer lack of depth in the squad.
It’s only due to a fortuitous bill of health that Farke was able to make eight changes to his starting XI for Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup tie with Middlesbrough – and if the performance was anything to go by, he could well end up burning out his first-choice players borne out of a reluctance to play his second string.
Farke has found himself having to trust youngsters with barely a flicker of experience as the fringe players in the squad, as once injuries begin to set in, there will be a threadbare element to his selection.
That is, of course, unless the club bite the bullet and secure top targets for premium sums, as that is the hand they’ve now been dealt.
Whilst accumulating decently sized fees for their departing talent, the need to replace them is urgent if not only now for the sheer quantity in the squad – 19 players plus these inexperienced youngsters is simply nowhere near enough.
In other Leeds news, the latest on Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s situation.
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