00:00Leeds United have confirmed the signing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Everton in what is probably their biggest attacking threat that they are adding within their ranks, at present at least, to their Premier League squad.
00:14They have already brought in a striker in Lucas Nemecha who has limited experience of England and, of course, already within their ranks there is Joe Perrault, who is yet to play in the Premier League.
00:24Of course, he did finish the Championship's top scorer last season, but that lack of Premier League experience has caused Leeds to go out and buy Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Everton.
00:33And funnily enough, Leeds play Everton in their first game of the Premier League season on Monday night.
00:38It's unclear at the moment whether Calvert-Lewin was signed in time to be involved in that game, but it would be certainly interesting for him to come up against his former club straight away.
00:49Regardless, though, why are Leeds going after Calvert-Lewin and why have they brought him in?
00:53Well, obviously, Premier League experience is one thing, but certainly it won't be for his injury record because he has been a little bit injury-prone over the last few years.
01:00He did have a couple of years where he was really, really good and on fire and fit and scoring a lot, but unfortunately that's not been the case more recently.
01:08So let's go now to Lee Sovitz of the Yorkshire Evening Post.
01:11Lee, what are your thoughts on the Calvert-Lewin signing and what can he bring to Leeds United this season in terms of helping their survival bid?
01:18I think with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, I think it's a bit of an obvious thing to say, but I think if he can keep fit and stay injury-free, it could be a very, very good signing, especially on a free transfer.
01:30But that's the big if, really. Obviously missed most of the second half of last season with a hamstring injury.
01:36That said, despite obviously a lot of talk about his injury troubles and stuff, he actually hasn't had that many non-contact injuries in sort of like the last couple of years.
01:47So maybe, you know, the injury record is a little bit, the injury fears, let's say, are maybe a little bit exaggerated potentially.
01:54But, you know, there's no doubt there is a concern there.
01:58But then, you know, equally, that's probably one of the reasons why Leeds are able to go in and get him.
02:02Because obviously, you know, if he wasn't, if there wasn't any worries whatsoever, then obviously he wouldn't have a striker like that, you know, going for free this summer.
02:09And Leeds seemingly able to snap him up.
02:12So, you know, we're expecting him to come in as, you know, the next signing.
02:16And, you know, as I say, it just depends really how he does with his fitness and injuries.
02:21But I think my overall feeling with it really is, is that if that's it, then I'd be a bit worried about the striker situation.
02:29Because I feel like with all three of them, and you've kind of like gone through it there, there are sort of like question marks about all three of them.
02:35And we're probably doing Joel Peru a little bit of a disservice sort of questioning him.
02:39Because obviously you can say he's not done it in the Premier League, which is true.
02:42But then he hasn't played one minute of football in the Premier League.
02:45So who's to say, you know, that he might have a fantastic season in the Premier League?
02:49He might well do.
02:49And he's still, you know, it's not like he's really old or anything like that.
02:52So he's still getting better.
02:54That said, it is a fact that he hasn't played one minute of Premier League football.
02:57So that is a definite question mark.
02:58Like Lucas Nemecha is, you know, obviously has played, you know, higher levels.
03:03Obviously, we talked about that season under Vincent Kompany.
03:06I think it was at Anderlecht, wasn't it, where he scored goals for fun.
03:09But equally, he's had injuries as well and stuff.
03:11And, you know, it's not like a guaranteed thing that he comes in and does amazingly.
03:14And to a certain degree, the same with Calvert-Lewin.
03:17Well, it is really because of the injury record and stuff.
03:19And obviously, he's got to sell into a new club.
03:20So lots of question marks there, really.
03:22I just feel a lot more comfortable if Leeds went out and got another one as well.
03:24Obviously, talks of Rodrigo Meniz, but obviously, you know, like it looks like he's going elsewhere now.
03:28There are still, obviously, a few weeks left of the window now, or a couple of weeks as it's getting towards now, really.
03:33And it might well go down to the wire.
03:34But, yeah, I think it's going to divide fans a bit, the Calvert-Lewin one, because you'll have some fans obviously saying,
03:39oh, you know, blimey, he's always injured, what have we got in for?
03:42And then he'll have some, you know, we'll sort of say, especially in a free transfer, that could be a fantastic bit of business.
03:47And I'm sort of somewhere in between, probably leaning towards the fact I think it probably is a good signing.
03:51What I would say about him also is that it's quite clear this summer that Leeds have looked to sign, you know, powerful, physical players.
03:58There's, you know, obviously a lot of six-foot pluses and stuff and, you know, going to try and sort of like be a very physical team.
04:03And he will obviously benefit that.
04:05You know, we all know how good he is at, you know, scoring goals from headers from corners and set pieces and things like that.
04:10So he's definitely going to be good at that.
04:11So, you know, yeah, let's get behind him.
04:14It'll be interesting to see how it goes because in terms of the pecking order, because he's not the sort of player that will want to come in and just sit on a bench.
04:20He'll want to come in and be the main number nine.
04:21But, I mean, equally, you know, Peru will want to be.
04:24And so we'll match, Lucas Metscher, so, and hopefully if there is another one coming in as well.
04:27But, yeah, question marks about it.
04:29But I suppose there are about all signings, you know, unless you start paying ridiculous amounts of money.
04:34So I think generally speaking, probably a good bit of business, but a good bit of business that needs to be backed up with a little bit more.
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