00:00Now, for Leeds United, so far this summer, it's been a busy transfer window.
00:04They've brought in several new players ahead of their return to the Premier League.
00:08You look at the likes of Lucas Nemetra, Jakob Bial, Gabriel Goodmanson, just to name three of them.
00:14But is it perhaps a concern at all to Leeds United supporters that some of the names perhaps aren't names that they, you know, would have perhaps wanted to come into the club?
00:24When Leeds last came into the Premier League, you had the likes of Rafinha, you had Rodrigo.
00:29Now, I'm not saying that Leeds perhaps are going to go and spend those sums of money and get that type of calibre of player in.
00:35But certainly for someone like Habib Diara, who went to Sunderland, who's a Senegalese international, Leeds had tracked him.
00:42And unfortunately, he went to Sunderland over Leeds United.
00:45So is that at all a concern to Leeds that in some cases they've missed out on targets to a club like Sunderland,
00:50who of course finished below them in the Championship by a lot of points, but of course went up by other playoffs?
00:56Is that a concern at all, that also some of the players who they've brought in perhaps,
01:01I'm not saying that you have to bring in huge fees for players, but they're not even some of the fees that Sunderland are commanding for some of their players.
01:08Is that at all a concern, I wonder, for Leeds United?
01:11Well, to find out more, let's go to Lee Subitz of the Yorkshire Evening Post.
01:16Lee, thoughts on Leeds' business so far?
01:18Clearly they're adding a lot of depth to their squad and there's no doubt that some of the players they have brought in are quality
01:23and they've brought them in from, you know, good sides and good leagues as well.
01:27But is there a little bit of trepidation just because they have missed out on a couple of targets
01:32and perhaps some of the names they've brought in aren't some of the names that they could have brought in
01:37that have actually gone to other clubs instead?
01:39What are your thoughts on the matter?
01:41No, I think there's probably two things to say with it.
01:43I think the first thing is that Leeds have always said and, you know, it's very much been the stance
01:46that they won't pay over the odds.
01:48You know, you mentioned Diara.
01:49I mean, that was a very, you know, that's the main, you know, the main sort of one really to talk about,
01:53I suppose, when you're talking about targets that we missed out on.
01:56But basically, Leeds and Sunderland had different valuations of the player
02:00and that was what that came down to, basically.
02:02And Leeds didn't feel like they wanted to go as high as Sunderland did in order to sign him.
02:05And, you know, it might turn out that Sunderland are right and Leeds are right.
02:08And we shall wait and see.
02:10But it's all about valuation, isn't it?
02:11So that's the thing to say on that score.
02:13The second thing to say is that, obviously, as you know,
02:16we are obviously getting closer and closer to the season.
02:18And in an ideal world, obviously, you get everybody in as early as possible
02:21for the start of pre-season training.
02:22But there is still a fair bit to go of this transfer window,
02:25which is obviously open for a couple of weeks after the season starts.
02:28So also, if you look back to last season, a lot of Leeds' business was done quite late as well.
02:33And I suppose, you know, if you're going to wait until, you know, it's worth waiting for,
02:36if you're going to get the right players in at the right price, if that's what you believe.
02:40I think the concern probably amongst fans at the moment is probably that I think we can all see that,
02:45you know, Leeds have done very, very well in terms of defensive additions.
02:48You know, you're going to have a new back line there, basically.
02:50Obviously, Goodmanson coming in to replace Firpo like for like.
02:53The Aka B-hole, I'm sure, will be a fantastic signing.
02:56Obviously, 15 million from Udinese.
02:58Big, powerful defender.
03:00Almost certainly will be, you know, first choice centre-back alongside Rodan,
03:03you would have thought, at the back.
03:04Obviously, the goalkeeper question mark is still there.
03:07And Jaden Bogle, obviously, right back last season was outstanding.
03:10So I think you've got, you know, ready-made first choice right back there.
03:13But I think it's obviously the goalkeeper situation he's looking at.
03:16But I think it's at the end of the pitch.
03:17Now, obviously, as we talk here, you know, Leeds are obviously been talking to Igor Pazsiao,
03:24Feyenoord, Winger.
03:25Now, that's the sort of thing that will start exciting fans,
03:27because that's the player that's probably going to be north of 30 million pounds.
03:29And, you know, I think that they've done very, very well in terms of the recruitment defensively at the moment.
03:34And obviously, looking at midfielders now with Anton Stach as well,
03:36and Sean Longstaff is on the verge of that deal getting done as we speak now.
03:41But I think it's at the end of the pitch as well.
03:42My one concern about this team is, will there be enough goals in there?
03:45And I think if Leeds can get a winger in and a striker, you know,
03:48someone like Pazsiao plus a striker, then I think people will be a lot happier with that.
03:52But, you know, I think it's steady away so far.
03:55Obviously, you know, you mentioned Sunderland.
03:57I mean, you know, it's a club you know very, very well, obviously.
04:00And, you know, they've not messed about.
04:02They've spent well over 100 million, haven't they?
04:03But you've also got to remember that they lost two very big players as well.
04:06So, you know, it's not just a case of them just going out and signing everybody.
04:09Leeds, of course, haven't lost anybody apart from Firpo, who was out of contract.
04:13Yes, obviously, you've got Manu Solomon and Joe Rothwell, which are big losses, particularly Solomon.
04:17But, yeah, I think it's steady away.
04:19I think it's just natural, though, I think that strikers and wingers are the ones that really get the juices flowing.
04:25So I think if and when Leeds can sign someone like that, like Pazsiao or somebody like that,
04:31I think that will, you know, paint things in a bit of a different light.
04:33Anton Statsch at Hoffenheim is another midfielder they're looking at as well.
04:36And that's been well documented.
04:37There's been talk about that for a while now.
04:39Sounds like that's progressing pretty well.
04:41I think the key there now is just to sort of strike a deal with Hoffenheim and how much that might be.
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