Leeds missed out big time on Guerreiro

Whereas Leeds United’s 2022/23 marketing campaign remains to be in an embryonic state at current, Victor Orta’s enterprise in the summertime switch window already seems to have had a largely constructive impression on Jesse Marsch’s facet.

Certainly, summer signings Marc Roca, Tyler Adams, Rasmus Kristensen, Luis Sinisterra and Brenden Aaronson all at the moment rank within the Whites’ top 12 performers within the Premier League this season, whereas the additions of Sonny Perkins, Darko Gyabi and Wilfried Gnonto add additional depth to the membership’s already spectacular youth setup at Thorp Arch.

Nevertheless, whereas the Spanish director of soccer did handle to strengthen the overwhelming majority of the positions which required consideration this summer season, there may be one space of the pitch during which Marsch nonetheless stays wanting selection – left-back.

And, when taking into consideration it was reported that Orta was contemplating submitting a bid for Borussia Dortmund’s Raphael Guerreiro – whom the Bundesliga facet are believed to worth at round €25m (£21m) – coupled with how spectacular the 28-year-old has been for Edin Terzic’s facet to date this season, the Spaniard’s resolution to not transfer for the Portugal worldwide already seems to have been one thing of a shocker.

Certainly, over his five league fixtures in 2022/22, the £22.5m-rated full-back has been in distinctive attacking kind, having already scored one objective and created one large probability for his teammates, in addition to finishing a mean of 40.4 passes, one dribble, taking one shot and making 0.8 key passes per recreation.

The £58k-per-week defender, who Terzic dubbed “amazing“, has additionally impressed in metrics extra typical of his place, making a mean of two.4 tackles, 2.4 interceptions, 0.8 clearances and profitable 4.2 duels – at a hit price of 64% – per look.

These returns have seen the 28-year-old common an especially spectacular SofaScore match ranking of 7.08, rating him as Dortmund’s second-best performing outfielder – behind solely Jude Bellingham – to date this season.

Moreover, the left-back additionally caught the attention throughout BVB’s 3-0 Champions League demolition of FC Kobenhavn final week, having fun with a whopping 88 touches of the ball, in addition to making 5 tackles, two interceptions, one key go, profitable 9 of his 11 duels and making use of the finishing touch to an especially nicely labored Dortmund transfer to offer his facet a two-goal lead.

These metrics noticed the Portugal worldwide common a merely sensational SofaScore match ranking of 8.4 for his efforts, rating him as the very best participant from both facet to characteristic within the match.

As such, with each Junior Firpo and Stuart Dallas but to make an look for Leeds this season on account of injury, precisely why Orta determined to not pull the set off on a transfer for Guerreiro seems a stranger resolution with each passing day – because the Dortmund sensation would have appeared nicely price his reported £21m asking worth for the Whites.