Leeds United have added Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, and Lukas Nmecha to their first-team squad in the course of the summer time switch window thus far.
The Whites have but to handle their choices in the course of the park, however they’re reportedly closing in on a possible signing to do precisely that.
As you possibly can see within the submit above, Fabrizio Romano claims that the Championship champions are on target to seal a deal for Newcastle United central midfielder Sean Longstaff.
They’ve already agreed private phrases with the English dynamo and have a £12m bid on the desk to carry him to Elland Street within the coming days.
If the transfer goes forward as hoped, Longstaff will arrive in West Yorkshire to compete with the likes of Ao Tanaka, Ethan Ampadu, and Ilia Gruev for a spot within the workforce in midfield.
Why Sean Longstaff is a wise signing for Leeds
The 27-year-old star might be a really wise signing, significantly at a comparatively low charge of £12m, as an skilled and reliable squad possibility for Daniel Farke to pick out in the course of the park.
Longstaff has performed 171 occasions within the Premier League for the Magpies in his profession thus far, which exhibits that he is aware of the division and would have the ability to hit the bottom operating for Leeds, as an skilled operator at that degree.
The £12m-rated star has scored ten objectives and supplied 9 assists in these 171 matches within the top-flight, displaying that he can even make an affect within the ultimate third at occasions.
Nonetheless, it is usually price noting that Leeds could be signing Longstaff off the again of a tough season for the midfielder, who performed a bit-part function for Newcastle within the 2024/25 marketing campaign.
The Magpies academy graduate solely began eight of his 25 appearances within the Premier League, and his underlying statistics don’t counsel that he might be an impressive signing for the Whites.
|
24/25 Premier League |
Sean Longstaff per 90 |
Percentile rank vs midfielders |
|---|---|---|
|
Non-penalty objectives |
0.00 |
Backside 16% |
|
Assists |
0.00 |
Backside 13% |
|
Passes tried |
39.36 |
Backside 19% |
|
Progressive passes |
4.51 |
Prime 42% |
|
Progressive carries |
0.45 |
Backside 11% |
|
Profitable take-ons |
0.23 |
Backside 15% |
|
Tackles |
3.05 |
Prime 19% |
|
Interceptions |
0.35 |
Backside 35% |
|
Blocks |
1.92 |
Prime 8% |
|
Stats through FBref |
||
As you possibly can see within the desk above, Longstaff ranked lowly amongst his positional friends in a number of key statistics, though he did excel at making tackles and blocks.
These statistics counsel that the midfielder might be a stable and wise possibility for Leeds, significantly in a holding midfield function the place he can deal with making tackles and blocks, however he’s unlikely to be a game-changing signing for Farke who delivers excellent high quality in all areas of the pitch.
In line with Sky Sports activities journalist Florian Plettenberg, Leeds are additionally enthusiastic about a deal to signal Hoffenheim central midfielder Anton Stach this summer time.
The reporter claims that the Premier League newcomers have already made contact with the Bundesliga aspect to debate a possible switch for the German large, who stands at 6 foot 4.
Plettenberg provides that no official provide has been made to Hoffenheim by Leeds at this second in time, although, so a deal will not be as superior because the one to carry Longstaff to Elland Street is.
The German journalist states that the 26-year-old midfielder has two years left to run on his contract with the Bundesliga outfit, as his deal expires in 2027, and {that a} switch to the Whites is ‘attainable’.
Forward of the summer time window, Plettenberg reported that Hoffenheim have been set to demand a charge of as much as £17m for his or her star midfield maestro, though it stays to be seen if that has modified.
Why Leeds ought to signal Anton Stach
The Whites ought to push forward with a deal to signal Stach in addition to Longstaff this summer time as a result of he could be a good higher signing for the membership if he can adapt to the Premier League.
While the Newcastle man is a wise and low-risk addition, as an skilled participant within the English top-flight, the Hoffenheim star is a riskier signing with the potential for a higher reward.
If Stach can ship performances akin to those he placed on within the Bundesliga final season, the German colossus will provide much more to Farke’s workforce than Longstaff subsequent time period.
The chart above exhibits that the 6 foot 4 titan produced extra high quality in nearly each aspect of a midfielder’s recreation than the Newcastle ace did within the 2024/25 marketing campaign.
|
24/25 season |
Stach (Bundesliga) |
Longstaff (Premier League |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
30 |
25 |
|
Objectives |
1 |
0 |
|
Assists |
2 |
0 |
|
Massive possibilities created |
4 |
0 |
|
xA |
3.21 |
0.23 |
|
Tackles + interceptions per recreation |
3.7 |
1.4 |
|
Duels received per recreation |
5.6 |
1.7 |
|
Floor duel success price |
59% |
53% |
|
Aerial duel success price |
57% |
56% |
|
Stats through Sofascore |
||
The statistics within the desk above additional again this up, as Stach delivered extra objectives, extra assists, created extra ‘huge possibilities’, and made considerably extra defensive interventions per recreation on common.
His success price in duels additionally exhibits that the Hoffenheim star is a robust midfielder who can compete bodily, much more so than Longstaff, in battles on the bottom and within the air.
Due to this fact, Stach might be a considerably higher midfield possibility for Farke within the Premier League subsequent season as he has the potential to supply extra to the workforce out and in of possession, as a stable defender and as a inventive midfielder.
Nonetheless, the £17m-rated star is unproven within the Premier League, having by no means performed in England earlier than, and that’s the reason signing him alongside Longstaff, an skilled English expertise, may make a whole lot of sense.
Associated
Extra necessary than Gudmundsson: Leeds open talks to signal £19m star
Leeds have made an enquiry a couple of deal to signal a star who could be an much more necessary signing than Gabriel Gudmundsson.
Total, Stach has the standard to be a good higher signing than Longstaff for Leeds, however that doesn’t imply that the Newcastle man doesn’t have an important function to play within the squad as a confirmed Premier League performer.
