 Leeds have another player in the bag for the 18/19 season, after a summer of little news has turned into a week of big moves.
The Whites has secured Manchester City starlet Jack Harrison on loan for the season, a player who adds bags of pace and goals from the wing to a side who lacked both last season. The deal is said to be an amalgamation of Bielsa’s continued pestering of Pep Guardiola and Leeds’ targeting of a winger who can add something to the sides new formation. Harrison joins Leeds after a very productive preseason for the latest Premiership Champions, having featured heavily in their preseason tour of America. With bags of pace, skill and a very keen eye for a goal, Harrison will add a strongman threat for the Championship campaign in a Leeds side that will need to be very quick when on the ball. This will be second occasion the 21-year old has played in the Championship, having featured for Middlesborough during the second half of last season along with fellow Leeds loanee Lewis Baker. However, Harrison was unable to push himself into a Boro side governed by the one and only Tony Pulis, highly known for his unattractive footballing tactics. Leeds will now look towards Sunday’s clash with Stoke, where new signings Barry Douglas and Jack Harrison could feature for the first time in the white of Leeds. Are you happy to see Harrison join the Whites? Is another loan the right move for Leeds? Have your say in the comments below. By Ryan Ingham
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 With deal for Matej Vydra continuing to stall, Leeds United have been monitoring other targets as they look to improve a threadbare forward line.
The club have now targeted Patrick Bamford as a potential striker to lead the line for this Championship season with a formal bid set to be placed before the end of the week. Bamford currently plies his trade at Championship rivals Middlesbrough, but has not always been the favoured choice and could look for a move to reignite his career. The former Chelsea youngster has been a more favoured option under Tony Pulis but could the return of Martin Braithwaite and Britt Assombalonga ahead of him in the pecking order. The 24-year old will be remembered by Leeds fans for his hat trick against the Whites last season back in March. Bamford has a very impressive scoring record so far in his career, scoring an impressive 71 goals in 207 overall appearances. With a current value of around £3.8million, it’s thought Boro want to recoup most of the £6.5million they payed Chelsea to sign him permanently back in 2017. Leeds are said to be willing to start their bid at around £7million, a fee that is reported to have been agreed between both clubs. Bamford is well known in the Championship and would fit in well with the Leeds squad, being able to occupy several positions as well as being abs to hold the ball up in attacking moves. His impressive Championship form boasts 36 goals and 9 assists in 100 appearances, with 14 goals coming last season being the second choice forward. Can Leeds do a deal for the talented forward? Is he the right option in a Marcelo Bielsa side? Have your say in the comments below. By Ryan Ingham  Leeds United look set to confirm the signing of Barry Douglas today, with only a medical to be completed.
The talented full back look sets to join the Whites after a brilliant season winning promotion from the Championship last season. The Wolves full back looks set to be surplus to requirements as Wolves continue their mega money summer with the additions of Atletico’s Jonny and Oliver Zinchenko. The deal comes as a giant surprise, with the overall contribution Douglas provided during last seasons Championship winning season and becomes a huge statement by Leeds, who will confirm one of the Championships best players last season. Douglas contributed 14 assists and 5 goals including a worldie of a free kick against Leeds during last season and will allow Bielsa the freedom from the back to finally implement his tactics. The new head coach has struggled this preseason to create his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation due to a lack of width in the full back area. However, with the addition of Douglas and the form of Luke Ayling, Leeds finally have their wing backs. A deal of around £3million is said to have been agreed and Leeds are more than willing to match, if not improve, Douglas’ current Wolves contract which runs until 2019. With everything set to be confirmed over the coming days, Leeds will have silenced most fans with what could be the best transfer of the summer. Does Douglas add a lot to this Leeds squad? What would be his best position and how does he fit in? Have your say in the comments below. By Ryan Ingham  Yesterday it was announced by his family that Paul Madeley had sadly passed away at the age of 73.
He was born in Beeston, a stones-throw from Elland Road, and only ever played and supported Leeds United. His family made this emotive message: "Paul was a much-loved husband, father and brother and the family are extremely proud of his achievements. Don Revie christened him his Rolls Royce and to us he was just that: a class act as a husband and father who always had time for everyone" His record at Leeds United is incredible, he played in every position but for goalkeeper and was one of the key players in Don Revie’s squad. This is his career record 727 appearances 33 goals for Leeds 24 England caps Played seventeen years at Leeds Wore numbers 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 during his career Won eight trophy’s during his Leeds career Was in three PFA Team’s of the Year. (Thanks to LUFCDATA) Yet it wasn’t only that he was the most versatile player, those who played with him spoke of him in the highest order and a pleasure to call a teammate and colleague. Not many, if ever football players was so greatly admired than Paul Madeley. I saw him in the later years of his career but he still carried himself with style and looked as ‘fit as a fiddle’ when he turned out for Leeds, I even saw him score against Norwich City and Southampton. It is hoped that there is a moment’s reflection or applause when Leeds kick off their first home game of the season against Stoke City, it would be even better if a lasting legacy could be arranged at the ground where he played. Thank you for the memories Paul and may we send your family all our sympathies and condolences at this sad time. MOT By Keith Ingham  Leeds United‘s foray into the summer transfer window was dealt with two massive blows.
The club had identified major moves for quality players, but have again fallen short in getting the deals over the line - something that tells a story of how this summer of recruitment is going at Elland Road. The players in question were Brentford pair John Egan and Florian Josefzoon who have joined two promotion rivals instead of joining the Whites. Egan, a dominating centre back was linked early in the window as an alternative to the now-Baggie Kyle Bartley. The 25-year old has made a £4million move to Sheffield United to sure up what could be a very sturdy defence for a Championship club including the likes of Jake Wright, Richard Stearman and Chris Basham. Whereas Josefzoon has joined financially struggling Derby County for a fee of £2.75million- a fee the club have gambled on in order to improve their squad. Leeds were linked with a late move for the winger but a four year deal and the promise of a team visually trying in the window seemed too enticing. If Orta and co continue to fail in this market, the addition of Marcelo Bielsa will seem more frivolous than buying a £50,000 car to drive to Tesco. The club are under severe pressure to make some magic in this window and with the current crop of players we have; a top six finish is out of the picture. No matter who’s coaching. By Ryan Ingham  This summer has been welcoming and very hot but not as much fun as watching the England team during July.
We may still be searching for that elusive second star but the ‘feel good’ the team brought to the country was superb. Whether it was in the pub or sharing the moments of Russia 2018 with friends, this World Cup was up there with Italia 90 as one of the best I’ve witnessed. Alas, the second half in the semi final against Croatia wasn’t the best and England bowed out in extra time. Even in defeat the Three Lions have showed that English football has unearthed some quality players that could develop in the coming years to challenge the very best in European and World Football. The emergence of John Stones and Harry McGuire in the middle of the defence has been well documented, young and skilful with the ability to score from our fantastic set pieces, another player to catch the eye was Kieran Trippier, a wing back with a superb shot, his early goal in the semi had thousands of pints thrown into the night sky. Many of the squad have impressed and maybe their best is still to come. Harry Kane could still collect the ‘Golden Boot’ if England’s defence can stop Belgium’s leading scorer Lukaku adding two goals to his World Cup tally. The talismanic English striker has scored the goals in the run to the semi, but many may remember the first half chance he missed against Croatia more than the ones he scored. He remains a much sought after striker and will be around when the World Cup is played in Qatar in 2022. Gareth Southgate won hearts and minds with the squad he picked for Russia, it was young, vibrant and nearly good enough to claim a place in the final. Unlike his foreign predecessors he made the press welcome, mixing darts with interviews and the coverage in the papers was the most positive I’ve seen in a long while. England face Belgium for the bronze medal on Saturday and if they win they will be the most successful English team in the World Cup team since Bobby Moore lifted the trophy back in 1966. Thank you lads for making us smile, maybe next time you'll bring home the trophy. It was great while it lasted and made us proud, that in itself is a achievement many England teams have failed to do. By Keith Ingham  Leeds United could be set for an outrageous move for Lazio forward Felipe Caicedo.
The 29-year old forward is said to have been pictured outside Thorpe Arch by a fan and would be the first of an attacking overhaul at Elland Road this summer. With the likes of Caleb Ekuban and Jay Roy Grot set for spells away from the club, Caicedo could be set for a new look partnership with impending transfer Matej Vydra as Leeds show some muscle in the transfer market. However rumour-like the move may be, Caicedo is a player you would not picture making a move to Championship having played for clubs including Levante, Lokomotiv Moscow, FC Basel and Lazio last season, where he featured mainly from the bench, scoring 6 goals and creating 3 assists. The Ecuadorean international has been capped 68 times by his country, scoring 22 goals. Now surplus to requirements at Lazio, a move back to England where he spent two and a half years contracted to Manchester City could be the opportunity to rejuvenate his career under well respected South American coach Marcelo Bielsa. Powerful, Agile and great in the air; Caicedo could add something to Leeds’ front line that they currently are desperate for, the ability to hold up the ball convincingly. The fact the forward also has Premier League experience only adds more to the possibility he could be a hit in the Championship, having made 33 appearances for City scoring 7 goals.  Matej Vydra could well be wearing a Leeds United shirt come the end of the week, but what does he bring to the table?
The Czech forward was heralded for his goal scoring abilities last season, a year which rejuvenated the players career after a few barren seasons. A suspected £11million offer is on the table for Derby and with the club in dire need of reducing their wage bill, the money up front option could be their best chance at allowing their new manager Frank Lampard the finances to bolster his ageing squad. With Vydra being left out of Lampard’s training squad in Tenerife and rumours the Rams could secure Chelsea prodigy Tammy Abraham for the upcoming season, a deal to bring the former Watford man looks set to be completed. But why Vydra? Rumours suggest Bielsa has been increasingly involved in the move having been informed of the strikers availability by DoF Victor Orta. With the new Leeds head coach set to revolutionise the tactical formation at the club, the need for a mobile forward who can cover large spaces and play on the break will be integral. Kemal Roofe does give Leeds that option but may struggle to guarantee the club the 20+ goals needed to secure the promotion place being targeted. Skilful, quick and able to play off the shoulder of the defender or wide right, Vydra possesses key attibutss needed in a leading man that Leeds lacked last year. His ability to become a handful for the opposing defenders is something last seasons forwards lacked; including the former loanee Pierre-Michel Lasogga. However, with only one clinical season behind him the deal could be somewhat of a gamble for the Whites. Vydra’s 22 goals last season followed a rather disastrous 16/17 season where he only picked up 5 goals in 33 Championship appearances. Can Vydra be a star for Leeds? Is this money well spent by the Leeds board? Have your say in the comments below. By Ryan Ingham |
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January 2019
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