Danilho Doekhi pursuit now makes total sense amid telling Leeds United transfer ploy
Leeds United’s reported pursuit of Danilho Doekhi makes perfect sense due to the club’s transfer strategy.
Leeds spent around £100million on players last summer, as Daniel Farke’s side tried to make the grade in the Premier League after their Championship-winning campaign.
A few eyebrows were raised with some of the 49ers Enterprises summer signings, but Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a huge success, despite joining on a free transfer.
While fellow promoted side Sunderland signed quite a few promising players under the age of 23, Leeds opted for experience and physicality.
Leeds are in the thick of a relegation battle, but if they stay up, there are some tell-tale signs of what type of transfer business they will do in the summer.
Why Danilho Doekhi can fit in nicely at Leeds United
Before the winter transfer window began, Leeds were linked with Union Berlin centre-back Danilho Doekhi.
First-choice defender Joe Rodon was out injured and then teammate Jaka Bijol was forced to have a spell on the sidelines as well.
With Leeds tending to play three centre-backs these days, that has forced them to play backup option Sebastiaan Bornauw and full-back James Justin to plug those gaps.
As a result, Doekhi seems like a good option to pursue. He’s 6ft 3in, is strong in the air, has played in the Champions League, and the former Netherlands Under-21 international is out of contract this summer.
When the transfer window slammed shut, it was reported that a left-sided back-up in defence was initially wanted by Leeds, but Farke and the hierarchy “accepted there were no options available which met their desired profile”.
However, the lack of depth in central defence might be the “greatest concern”.
The Athletic has now revealed that Leeds solely recruited players aged between 25 and 28 in the summer and winter – the only Premier League side to focus 100 per cent of their spend in one age range.
Doekhi, who has played more than 120 times for Union and scored 15 goals along the way, would fit Leeds’ transfer profile of players if signed in the summer. He is 27 – right in Leeds’ transfer sweet spot.
But Wolfsburg are also interested in Leeds target Doekhi, suggesting there could be a lot of interest in the defender.
Will Leeds’ winter window inactivity cost them in relegation fight?
Leeds secured a much-needed win over Nottingham Forest on Friday, a result that took them nine points clear of the bottom three.
However, West Ham’s comfortable victory over lowly Burnley has cut that gap back to six, with Forest now just three points ahead of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
While Leeds are trending in the right direction, they could be a bad result or an injury away from being dragged deep into the relegation mire.
Leeds’ sole first-team signing in January was Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte, and he didn’t even make the squad for the Forest game.
Leeds tried and failed to sign Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, but he eventually joined Crystal Palace in a fee worth up to £48m.
If West Ham beat Manchester United on Tuesday and Leeds lose at Chelsea on the same night, questions may be asked again if the Whites did all they could in the winter window.