Leeds: O’Rourke drops Wagner claim

Pete O’Rourke has dropped a declare regarding reported Leeds United switch goal Kai Wagner.

What’s been stated?

Talking not too long ago to Soccer FanCast, the journalist said his perception that, following various experiences linking Jesse Marsch with a $3m (£2.5m) transfer for the Philadelphia Union left-back this summer season, the American supervisor will certainly be nicely conscious of the 25-year-old resulting from his contacts within the MLS.

Concerning the Whites’ curiosity within the defender, O’Rourke stated: “I’m positive he’s a participant that Jesse Marsch is nicely conscious of. Along with his MLS contacts, I’m positive he’s been retaining tabs on Wagner throughout his time at Philadelphia Union. I’m positive he’s been getting glowing experiences on him from his different MLS contacts.”

Good for Leeds

Contemplating simply how spectacular Wagner has been in America thus far this season, along with the truth that left-back is well-known to be a place in Marsch’s squad that requires better depth, the argument that the German full-back can be one thing of an ideal signing for Leeds is a straightforward one to make.

With Junior Firpo having underwhelmed throughout his debut marketing campaign with the Whites final season – averaging a SofaScore match ranking of simply 6.60 over his 24 league outings, rating him as Leeds’ seventh-worst participant within the league final outing – in addition to the 25-year-old at the moment being sidelined resulting from injury, Marsch has been left with no pure left-back for the primary two fixtures of the 2022/23 marketing campaign.

And, with Wagner having very a lot caught the attention for Philadelphia thus far in 2022, coupled with the truth that he might be out there for a particularly affordable £2.5m price, a transfer for the 25-year-old would seem like one thing of a no brainer previous to September’s switch deadline.

Certainly, over his 26 MLS appearances thus far this season, the £2.7m-rated expertise has been in spectacular type, serving to his facet preserve ten clear sheets, in addition to making a median of 1.8 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 1.9 clearances and successful 3.5 duels – at a hit fee of 55% – per recreation.

The defender has additionally impressed going forwards, offering 5 assists and creating seven huge possibilities for his teammates, in addition to making a median of two.6 key passes – the joint ninth-most within the league – 4.1 lengthy balls and three.0 crosses per fixture.

These returns have seen the full-back who MLS insider Tom Bogert dubbed “elite” common a merely sensational SofaScore match ranking of 7.42, rating him because the ninth-best performer within the division.

As such, ought to Marsch imagine that Wagner may replicate this way following a swap to Elland Highway within the coming weeks, it will certainly seem as if the German’s signing must be one thing of a precedence over the rest of the summer season switch window – particularly for a price of simply £2.5m – because the left-back can be an ideal match for what Leeds require.