Phil Hay issues ‘fascinating’ Leeds United transfer verdict after ‘interesting’ Nadiem Amiri developments
It would be “fascinating” but “odd” if Leeds United went back in to sign Nadiem Amiri after his collapsed move to the club during the summer, according to Phil Hay.
The Athletic journalist said on The Square Ball podcast on 6 November that the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder was somebody Daniel Farke “really liked” who would be a “huge asset” in the Championship, and while it seems unlikely that the Whites would seek a deal it “would not be unheard of”.
Amiri changed his mind on a Leeds United move multiple times in the summer before the club pulled the plug following a visit to Thorp Arch, but it emerged on Friday (3 November) that after becoming an afterthought under Xabi Alonso this term the midfielder has seen the error of his ways and is looking for a January switch, a development which Hay called “interesting”.
Asked if the deal could be revisited Hay said (22m 50s): “It would be fascinating if they did given the way that it ended and told him to find his own private jet home after turning that move down…
“He is a really good player. It would be not unheard of, but it would be odd to go back to that after the way it all fell through. But there’s no doubt that Farke really liked him, and no doubt at all he would have taken him had that been done…
“It’s not been a very astute decision [to turn down the move] because it’s not working out for him there, he needs to go.”
He added: “Acts like that [cancelling the return flight] feels like the point of no return, like bridges burned and if there’s no way back, although you’ve seen many times in football situations which seemed irredeemable actually aren’t.
“I don’t doubt at all that he’d’ve been a huge asset in the Championship. I’m absolutely certain that he would have been, but it was quite interesting reading that over the weekend because he’s clearly realised that whatever was in his head in August… it didn’t materialise, and he’s stuck.
“The last thing you want is a reputation as somebody who’s a pain in the neck and who clubs are best off leaving alone.”
Once bitten, twice shy?
Leeds United clearly came out of the farcical summer saga better off than Amiri did as the 27-year-old hasn’t even reached double figures in Bundesliga minutes since while the Whites are on the up and just beat the runaway league leaders.
That said, the ongoing question about how best to use Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter has shown that a specialist number 10 is arguably one of the few places in the Whites squad that could stand addressing in January, and with Amiri expected to cost as little as £2.6million perhaps it would be an option again.
Farke would have to be totally sure of the German international’s change of mindset, and that the root of the issues previously were the family influence that he is now apparently looking to distance himself from.
All sorts of things happen in football that once looked impossible, and arguably it looked unlikely that Willy Gnonto would ever be reintegrated into the Leeds United first-team for a period earlier this season.
So Farke going back in for a chastened Amiri can’t entirely be ruled out, but it would be a high-risk move if it didn’t pay off quickly since the fans would surely give him little leeway.
But if he filled an area of need and got an already-formidable Whites team operating on an even higher level the supporters would likely see it as water under the bridge, so it is worth keeping an eye on as January approaches in case the planets align correctly.
In other Leeds United news, a Whites player has been hailed as “brilliant” for “booting” his own teammate to the ground.