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The next few months will be crucial and Daniel Farke and Leeds United as they look to end their two-year stay in the Championship and return to the Premier League.
The Whites came within touching distance of returning to the top flight at the first attempt, but a play-off final defeat against Southampton confined them to another season in the second tier.
However, the German has managed to conduct a superb job in picking up the pieces of last season, building a side that has the club right in the thick of a promotion battle once again.
The ongoing transfer window presents the boss with another opportunity to improve his already impressive squad at Elland Road, handing them an added boost in their efforts.
As of yet, no incomings have been completed in West Yorkshire, but that’s not to say that numerous names have been constantly touted with a move to the club this month.
Leeds United’s transfer business in January
Ollie Tanner is the latest name to pop up on the Leeds shortlist, with the 22-year-old touted with a move to Elland Road over the last couple of days after his impressive form with Cardiff City.
The forward also has admirers from Southampton, Leicester City and Burnley ahead of the transfer deadline, with a real battle on between the sides to secure a move for the sought-after talent.
Tanner isn’t the only attacker linked with a move to join Farke’s men, with Aston Villa attacker Emi Buendia constantly touted for a return to feature under his former boss.
The Argentine won promotion under the German during their time together at Norwich City, with Buendia undoubtedly playing the best football of his career in 2020/21, registering 31 combined goals and assists.
However, he’s since moved to Villa, with a knee injury halting his progress, ultimately leading to him dropping down the pecking order – opening the door to a potential loan move to Leeds this month.
There’s little denying that he would be a superb option, but, the club already have themselves a potent attacker, with the current Whites star matching Buendia’s market value as of January 2025.
The Leeds player who is currently worth as much as Buendia
Despite dropping to the second tier ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, Leeds have managed to keep and recruit a superb squad, one that has every right to be challenging for the title as they currently are.
A combination of clever investments such as Ao Tanaka and Jayden Bogle along with the ability to keep hold of the likes of Dan James and Pascal Struijk have undoubtedly contributed to their recent success.
However, another player has also impressed with the drop-down to England’s second tier, with winger Wilfried Gnonto allowed to excel and star on a consistent basis.
The Italian would’ve been high on many supporters’ list to depart the Whites after his performances in the relegation campaign, but fast-forward two years, he still remains a member of the squad and playing a key role in their push for promotion.
Gnonto, who’s previously been dubbed a “monster” by one analyst, has registered 21 goals or assists in the last two seasons, often coming up with the goods when Farke and the supporters need him most.
His rapid rise has been all the more remarkable, especially when considering the 21-year-old only cost the hierarchy £3.8m upon his move to join the Whites back in August 2022.
|
Highest valued players in the Leeds United squad (2024/25) |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Value |
|
1. Wilfried Gnonto |
£15m |
|
2. Dan James |
£13.4m |
|
= Ethan Ampadu |
£13.4m |
|
= Pascal Struijk |
£13.4m |
|
= Illan Meslier |
£13.4m |
|
3. Joel Piroe |
£11.8m |
|
4. Brendon Aaronson |
£10m |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|
The Italian’s subsequent form has seen a huge jump in his market value, with Transfermarkt valuing the attacker at €18m (£15m), a jump of around 300% on the figure forked out for his services just over two years ago.
Such a value is also the same Transfermarkt value as current transfer target Buendia, who’s seen a huge drop since his £33m transfer in the summer of 2021, with injuries playing a massive role in his decline in value.
As a result of his recent injury troubles, it would be a huge risk for Farke to spend some of the wage budget on the Argentine, potentially not being at the level of fitness required to make an immediate impact.
Given Gnonto’s rise, a potential move for the Villa man could further hinder the Italian’s game time, preventing him from progressing, with the former FC Zurich man potentially having a huge role to play between now and the end of May.
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