Anthony Onifade

Thu 23 November 2023 16:10, UK

Leeds United may already be planning ahead should Pascal Struijk decide to leave in the January window with news emerging on Nathaniel Adjei.

Online news outlet LUFCFANZONE reported on their Twitter on Wednesday (22 November) that the Whites are planning to make an approach to sign Adjei should a senior defender leave.

The 21-year-old is valued at £3million by Swedish side Hammarby and it is believed Leeds United are assessing central defensive targets ahead of the transfer window and Adjei has emerged as one of the top targets.

The Whites will certainly have to get a move on if they are to firm up their interest in the Ghanaian centre-back and his progress at Hammarby is there for all to see.

Adjei has featured in 21 of Hammarby’s 30 Allsvenskan Swedish league games, winning a whopping 63% of his aerial duels, 66% of his ground duels, 64% of his total duels, averaging 1.1 tackles per game and only being dribbled past 0.2 times per game [SofaScore].

The Ghana Under-23 international is also under contract with Hammarby until 2026, so its understandable why Leeds will jump at a shot of matching his £3m transfer value.

However, the Whites could well be planning for the inevitable departure of Struijk who is garnering plenty of interest right now.

Dutch news outlet Voetbal Nieuws (20 November) have reported that Belgian outfit Club Brugge have identified the Leeds defender as the perfect candidate to strengthen their squad in January.

The report shares that Struijk is said to meet “all the criteria” that Brugge are looking for, “both mentally and sportingly”, as they hunt for a new “defensive leader”.

Speaking on the Unibet Belgium YouTube channel on Wednesday (15 November), former RMC journalist Sacha Tavolieri revealed that the 24-year-old is “interested” in a move to Club Brugge ahead of the January transfer window.

He said the Belgian side have maintained their interest from the summer in the Whites centre-back, who could be available for £13.1million after his “price has gone down” from the £15.7million he was previously valued at.

While Leeds’ financial position would be strengthened by such a transfer figure, there is no doubt that it could potentially crush their promotion hopes if they were to lose the Belgian midway through the season.

The defender has been a standout in the heart of the Whites’ defence during this campaign after building up a solid partnership with Joe Rodon.

Not only has the Dutchman excelled in his defending but also in his ball progression from the back which has handed the Whites a totally new dimension under Farke’s management, currently ranking in the 95th percentile of centre-backs in Europe’s next 14 leagues after the top for progressive passes per 90 and in the 92nd percentile for pass completion % per 90 [FBRef].

However, it’s inevitable Leeds United will gain several suitors given Struijk’s form but the Whites will be silly not to do their due diligence on potential replacements, scouting them with a view to a move should the worst occur.

While losing Struijk could be a damaging sight for the Leeds faithful, they can rest assured that the club’s owners and Farke already have contingency plans in place to deal with such a potentially critical exit.

In other Leeds United news, a player who snubbed a move to Elland Road has raved about Farke after what he did.