Leeds could land their best winger since Raphinha by signing £25m “machine”

Leeds United face the unenviable activity of getting to recruit for a season within the Premier League after they received the Championship title to earn promotion to the large time.

The final six groups that have been promoted from the second tier have been all relegated of their first seasons within the top-flight, which speaks to how tough the duty forward might be for the Whites.

Nonetheless, Leeds already know what it takes to realize survival of their first season again within the Premier League, as a result of they completed within the top-half below Marcelo Bielsa within the 2020/21 marketing campaign.

The West Yorkshire outfit misplaced 4-3 to Liverpool in an exhilarating match on the opening day of the time period, earlier than they went on to comfortably keep away from relegation.

Distinctive recruitment work accomplished by Victor Orta and Bielsa underpinned their success that season, as they made a number of key signings to bolster the squad.

Arguably, essentially the most profitable signing that the Whites made forward of the 2020/21 marketing campaign was the addition of Raphinha from Rennes on a everlasting deal.

Leeds hit the jackpot with Raphinha

Leeds swooped to signal the Brazilian attacker from the French aspect in a deal that was reported to be price £17m plus add-ons, and it turned out to be an enormous cut price.

Developing from the Championship, Bielsa’s aspect wanted an injection of high quality to bolster their efforts to remain within the Premier League, and that’s precisely what Raphinha supplied along with his high quality on the high finish of the pitch from a proper wing place.

As you possibly can see within the desk above, the Brazil worldwide made an immediate affect within the top-flight with a return of 18 targets and ‘massive probabilities’ created mixed in 30 appearances.

Raphinha was not accomplished there, although, because the left-footed magician scored 11 targets and created ten ‘massive probabilities’ in 35 appearances within the Premier League within the 2021/22 marketing campaign to steer Jesse Marsch’s workforce away from relegation.

Raphinha’s unimaginable type for Leeds within the Premier League in his two seasons at Elland Highway, sadly, attracted curiosity from elsewhere, and he signed for Barcelona in a deal price a reported £55m in the summertime of 2022.

Within the current day, the previous Whites star has scored 34 targets and supplied 25 assists in 56 matches for the Spanish giants this season, in what has been an exceptional marketing campaign for him on a person stage.

While Raphinha has kicked on to grow to be a celebrity in European soccer with Barcelona, Leeds are nonetheless in search of their subsequent winger to shine on the Premier League stage.

Leeds United’s wingers since Raphinha left

Leeds United have been relegated from the Premier League within the season after the Brazilian sensation moved on from Elland Highway, which factors to how essential he was to the aspect.

The Whites ended that time period with none of their wingers scoring greater than 5 targets or aiding greater than seven targets within the top-flight, which reveals that they didn’t adequately exchange Raphinha’s affect on the high finish of the pitch.

As you possibly can see within the desk above, Dan James hit double figures for targets and Manor Solomon hit double figures for assists, however it stays to be seen how that interprets to the highest division, after Crysencio Summerville’s struggles this time period.

The Dutch ahead, who left Leeds to signal for West Ham final summer season, solely scored one aim and supplied one help in 19 Premier League video games for the Hammers this season, which means that he has didn’t make the step as much as the highest tier as of but.

Leeds, subsequently, haven’t had a winger who has had the standard to make a constant affect on the high stage since Raphinha left, however they may change that by signing reported switch goal Dazien Maeda, who’s reportedly valued at £25m.

Why Leeds ought to signal Daizen Maeda

The Whites ought to swoop to signal the Celtic celebrity within the upcoming summer season switch window as a result of he may very well be their greatest winger signing since they introduced Raphinha in from Rennes in the summertime of 2020.

Maeda, dubbed an “wonderful function mannequin” by Brendan Rodgers, simply ended his 2024/25 marketing campaign with the Scottish giants and loved an unbelievable yr on a private stage.

The 27-year-old sensation scored a staggering 33 targets and supplied 12 assists in 53 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, which signifies that Raphinha solely outscored him by one aim for Barcelona, and he has scored a minimum of 12 extra targets than every other Leeds winger has in a single season within the final three years.

These statistics present that the Celtic star has the potential to be an distinctive addition to the Leeds squad as a winger, who usually performs on the left flank, with the standard to attain and create targets at an unimaginable charge.

Some supporters could query the standard of Scottish soccer and the way it interprets to the Premier League, as is the case with the Championship, however Maeda additionally showcased his high quality on the most important stage of all within the Champions League.

As you possibly can see within the desk above, the Hoops star outperformed his xG to attain a formidable 4 targets in 9 Champions League video games, which included targets towards German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

This reveals that the Japanese ace, who has been described as a “machine” by coaches, has the standard to make a big effect within the last third towards a number of the greatest groups in Europe, which means that he might adapt to the extent of the Premier League.

Subsequently, Leeds might signal their greatest winger since Raphinha by splashing £25m on Maeda within the upcoming summer season switch window, as a result of he has the statistics and the performances on the high stage to recommend that he can be a high-quality addition to Daniel Farke’s squad.