Leeds United: Latest Leeds United transfer news
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00:00So what we'll do now, we'll move on to, as always at the minute, a bit of a transfer window update.
00:07Obviously, we've already mentioned the sales, Leeds have had this window, the high-profile sales.
00:12Last week, we mentioned Dejan Ljubasic as a potential transfer target, but now there's
00:17another from Norwich, isn't there? Yeah, Jonathan Rowe, yeah. I mean,
00:23I think if Leeds can get him, I think that'll be a fantastic sign-in, but I think it's a big if,
00:27and I don't think it'll be straightforward whatsoever. Waking up and seeing the news
00:32about that and finding out about it, that's one that got you quite excited about the prospects
00:35of him coming, but mainly also because you know how good a player he is, really, and how much you
00:40will know Norwich will be keen to keep hold of him. So we'll wait and see what happens with that,
00:45but they've obviously identified him as someone who can come in and, if you like, replace Somerville.
00:50I think Daniel Farker was very keen to say, after the Valencia friendly, that in terms of replacing
00:55Somerville, you can't replace him, basically. Yeah, I kind of get what he means by that,
01:02in terms of you're not going to bring somebody in who's then going to be Championship Player
01:05of the Year and get all those goals and assists. I mean, you might do, you know what I mean,
01:07but it's very unlikely to try and replace someone like that. Also, he was keen to stress that,
01:12and obviously we're not talking figures, but we know obviously it's in excess of £20 million,
01:17he was very keen to stress that just because we sold someone for that amount doesn't mean we've
01:21suddenly got all that pot of money to play with. I think, as he put it, we've got to pay for the
01:25sins of the past and stuff in terms of balance sheets to sort out and PSR. So, we've got to be
01:30savvy with it, really. As we speak now, talk of a £7 million bid going in for Jonathan Rowe,
01:36who's 21 years old, so he's very young, very good age, England Under-21 international.
01:43I think it was 12 goals last season and two assists in 27 starts, but he spent a lot of
01:47that time injured. He had a hamstring injury, he was out for 11 games, but for that he would
01:51have got more goals and assists, I'm sure. So, £7 million for someone like that seems very,
01:56very cheap, really, and I wouldn't expect Leeds would get him for that. So, it might be one,
02:00if a bid does go in, they might have to go back in and go again. But the other thing with it is
02:04he's only got one year left on his current deal, so that obviously changes things a lot.
02:08We were led to believe there's the option of a second year, so that changes things a little bit.
02:13The other big thing with this, really, is that Norwich have obviously just sold Gabriel Sarra
02:16to Galatasaray for around about €18 million. They're not similar players, but they're both
02:22attacking-ish players that can score goals. So, it's not rocket science to work out that if they've
02:27sold him, they're not going to be very keen to sell another one of their stars, especially to
02:31a championship rival. So, there's a lot to work out with that deal, if it can get done. But I
02:37think there's a quiet confidence from Leeds that can maybe get that one done, and if they can,
02:42he'd be a fantastic signing. He's someone who already knows the division well. As I say,
02:47at that age, I'm sure he'll take a massive step forward. I think if they got him,
02:51he could probably be their signing of the summer. Obviously, Rodham's a big one as well.
02:55That's the news, really, on that front. There'll be other people they're looking at as well,
02:58but that's just the one that we know about at the moment. So, that's definitely one to keep tabs on.
03:02Ljubicic, as you mentioned, that's been talked about as well. One bid's already gone in for him
03:06and rejected, so I suspect they'll be back in for him or another midfielder. Then the other one
03:11that's obviously emerging is Hugo Bueno, the 21-year-old Spanish youth international left
03:17back at Wolves. That's someone they're looking at as well, in terms of getting somebody in for
03:21a full-back option, because they do need cover in that position. But again, there's issues with
03:26that, which would be, if he came from Wolves, he's already got, I think it's 42 Premier League
03:30games and one assist. So, it's not like someone who hasn't... No, he's got experience there,
03:35isn't he? Yeah, exactly. So, he's not someone you could imagine he'd be wanting to come and
03:39sit on the bench. But I don't think Leeds is the sort of club or team that will give assurances to
03:43people like, if you come to us, you're a week-in, week-out starter. I don't really think it works
03:47like that. And that was the case with Carvalho and it went for him as well. So, that could be
03:50interesting what happens there. And also, I think Feyenoord and Celtic have looked at him as well.
03:55Both of those two, there's plenty to sort out in terms of if they get him in. Well, all three,
04:00because Ljubicic as well. Obviously, the deal got... The offer got rejected and it sounds like
04:04they want to keep him, even though he's only got one year left on his deal. So, yeah, they're the
04:08three we know about. But there'll be other targets as well they're looking at. But what is pretty
04:13clear is that the three positions there, and we mentioned this in last week's, we mentioned last
04:17week that a centre midfielder was something they needed to get in, a full-back option was something
04:21they needed to get in. And we said beforehand last week that if Somerville was to go, they need to
04:25get another winger. And Somerville has gone. So, obviously, now you're looking at another winger.
04:29So, if I was to summarise and keep it brief, I would say sign a winger, sign a centre midfielder,
04:34sign a full-back and keep Willy Nonto and Routier. Because we haven't talked about Routier
04:39and then Jobs of Gooden and then you win the league. Well, maybe not.
04:43Is it that easy, Lee?
04:46To be quite honest, if they kept that, if they did that and signed a good winger and
04:50signed a good centre midfielder and signed a good full-back option and kept Nonto and Routier,
04:54you would look at that squad and you would think there'd be something seriously wrong if it didn't
05:01go up, basically. And to be honest, fans won't care if it's whether they go up in first or second.
05:06They won't be bothered. They just want to get up in the Premier League. And with that squad,
05:10if that was the squad, then they should be doing that even without Somerville and even
05:14without Archie Gray. The problem started as if you lose Nonto very late in the day in the window
05:19and, heaven forbid, something happens to Routier. With Routier, things have gone quiet. Obviously,
05:24there was talk of Brighton interested in him earlier in the window. But I think every time
05:29anybody sees him, he looks like a player that's better than the Championship when he's on song.
05:36It's not difficult to imagine someone coming in for him either and they need to be careful with
05:40that because he's someone who could be absolutely key from this season, I'm sure of it. He's playing
05:43with a smile on his face. He looks very, very happy. So, Nonto and Routier are the two to keep
05:47an eye on, I think, in terms of the talents that they've got that people will be looking at and
05:50then, obviously, get those three players in as well. So, three weeks left of the window
05:55and it's not going to be dull. It's not quite the same as when they went down last season,
05:59obviously, as the season before in terms of the ins and outs and people leaving left,
06:04right and centre. You didn't know what were coming or going, but still an awful lot to
06:08do so far. It'll be fascinating to see how it plays out. It's not quite as simple as that,
06:12do that and win the league. But they've got the foundations there to be able to do it.
06:18And in all seriousness now, the key point now is to make sure these next three weeks
06:25go their way or get it right, basically, because once the window's closed, that's it. And as I say,
06:29if they can go into the new season with something like they've got now, plus those new targets that
06:33we're talking about and keep what they've got, then they should be in excellent shape.
06:36No-one wants the playoffs again anyway, I'll tell you that.
06:40After last season and after, well, I think you told me at the start that that league's
06:44never gone up via the playoffs. So, I don't think that would be on anyone's wishlist. But,
06:49yeah, that'll do it for this week. The season is here, essentially. The season is upon us
06:56now for the Championship. It all kicks off this weekend, leads it home to Portsmouth.
07:01And then, of course, as we mentioned, there's the trip up north. Well,
07:05see, it's not that far for Leeds to go to Middlesbrough, to be fair.
07:09Yeah, both home games. So, get those out of the way. And then on the road to West Brom.
07:15And then, as you say, before you know it, game's sticking fast. They'll be coming every week
07:20and midweek. But, yeah, they've got to deal with it. And I fully expect they will do. But
07:25now it's a brilliant pre-season. Now it's about the get. Now it's when it really matters. So,
07:29got to do it when it counts.
07:31Certainly is, Lee. But, yes, that will do it for this week. We'll be back next week to
07:35dissect whether Leeds have won 4-0 against Portsmouth, or they've let in a goal in the
07:4289th minute.
07:43What are you going with? We should leave with a prediction.
07:52I'll go with what the bootmakers are saying. And that is, of course, a Leeds win.
07:56And I think it'll be relatively comfortable. Perhaps not the 4-0 sort of hammering,
08:03maybe not at this stage yet, before they get into the stride, although it could happen.
08:07I'm going to say a 3-1 win.
08:10You go 3-1, yeah.
08:113-1. And they'll go 2-0. Portsmouth might get one back, make it a little bit nervy,
08:17and then they'll go get a third one later and kill it off. That's how I see it, at least.
08:24Yeah, I could say something similar to that. I'd be quite surprised if Leeds didn't keep a
08:27clean sheet, the way the defence is looking. Roden's been superb since he's come back in,
08:32now a permanent player. Pascal's back now. They look very strong at the back.
08:37Bogle, obviously, a lot will depend on Ronny's fit at right-back, but obviously there's Byron
08:40can come in if not. Firpo, obviously, first-choice left-back. Mellier, hopefully,
08:43have a solid season. Ampadu back in midfield. So they'll be very, very hard to break down.
08:48And the good thing was they looked pretty clinical against Valencia,
08:53taking the chances when they came. So I suspect they'll win 2-0. But I think you're right,
08:58I don't think it'll be like a Floodgates job. I think something like 2-0, go 2-0,
09:02because I think Portsmouth will be tough to break down as well. They won't be stupid,
09:06they won't come at Ellen Roden and just go for it, help the leather and leave gaps everywhere.
09:09So it's a championship. So you go 3-1, I'll go 2-0, and we'll report back next week when
09:16Portsmouth have sealed a 1-0 win in the 89th minute or something, with Connor Shinesi against
09:21his old club or something like that. Either that or just a scrappy own goal from a corner in the
09:2589th minute, for example. That would just be typical, wouldn't it? I don't see it happen,
09:31but we shall see. But until then, we will see you all next week. Hopefully after Leeds win,
09:39and as I say, the season will be underway by then. But until then, we'll see you next time.