Leeds Could Find “High Quality” £20m Firpo Replacement

With Daniel Farke having been handed the reins for the foreseeable future at Leeds United, the 46-year-old will probably be eager to get to work rapidly with the intention to revive the fortunes of the ailing Elland Street outfit.

The German tactician will inherit a squad that distinctly underwhelmed and underperformed final time period having endured a dismal relegation to the Championship, with heads needing to roll if the Whites are to have any hope of sealing a swift return to the highest flight.

Amongst those that the previous Norwich Metropolis boss ought to be seeking to transfer on is floundering full-back, Junior Firpo, with the struggling dud having did not make the grade after becoming a member of from Barcelona on a £13m deal again in 2021.

As journalist Dean Jones lately famous, the 26-year-old has “had some difficulties in the Premier League” over the previous two seasons, with pundit Paddy Kenny stating in 2022 that the defender “doesn’t have a lot defensive consciousness and his positioning is poor.”

Additionally described as wanting “flat-footed or fast asleep” at instances by Kenny, the left-back has made “excessive profile and dear” errors throughout his time in Yorkshire, in accordance with Jones, having confirmed himself one thing of a “legal responsibility” within the backline.

The top of Firpo’s Leeds nightmare could also be in sight, nevertheless, with Fabrizio Romano having reported final month that the previous Spain U21 worldwide is looking to leave the club, with additional experiences indicating {that a} handful of La Liga sides are enthusiastic about a deal.

Farke may then transfer to hasten that exit amid a current report from the Each day Mail which claimed that the membership have ‘checked on’ a attainable left-back substitute within the type of AZ Alkmaar’s, Milos Kerkez, with the 19-year-old valued at round £20m by the Eredivisie facet.

Whereas the piece does counsel that it’s AFC Bournemouth who’re at present in talks to signal {the teenager}, it will be sensible for Leeds to attempt to get to the entrance of the queue with the intention to resolve their full-back woes.

Who’s Milos Kerkez?

Described as a “high quality attacking full-back” by expertise scout, Jacek Kulig, the eight-cap Hungarian international would seemingly symbolize a dream improve on the left of the defence, having sparkled within the Netherlands in current instances.

Whereas the Serbian-born starlet was unable to make his mark at former membership AC Milan – whom he left final 12 months after failing to make a single first-team appearance – his high quality has been on present in his present dwelling, having registered five goals and seven assists in 52 video games in all competitions within the 2022/23 season.

That report is in stark distinction to what Firpo achieved final time period because the £60k-per-week man registered solely two goals and two assists in 26 video games throughout all fronts, having been unable to pose an actual menace in an attacking sense.

Equally, Kerkez additionally represents a probably superior defensive asset having received 60% of his ground duels final season in addition to 57% of his complete duels, once more representing a far larger report than the present Leeds man (49% and 50% for a similar two metrics, respectively).

Firpo’s woes have been additionally laid naked by the truth that he recorded a mean match ranking of simply 6.55 in 22/23, as per Sofascore, to see him rank twenty second amongst his teammates, whereas Kerkez, in contrast, had an average rating of 6.99 – additional proof of his spectacular current type.

With the teen additionally the kind of participant that may be a mainstay of the Whites’ defence for the long run because of his relative youth, it ought to be a no brainer for Leeds to agency up their curiosity within the 5 foot 11 sensation, with such a deal probably permitting Farke to ship Firpo packing sooner slightly than later.