After a busy summer season switch window, Leeds United had a quieter time of issues in January. They made only one signing, including Facundo Buonanotte to the squad on mortgage, though he wasn’t the one goal Daniel Farke’s facet pursued.
They have been all the time on the lookout for market alternatives, and appeared into signing Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
They didn’t win that race, although, with the striker shifting to Crystal Palace as an alternative, in a deal value £48m together with add-ons. That, clearly, was not a price Leeds have been able to match, regardless of a want to carry the Norwegian to the membership.
After signing three strikers in the summertime, the query arose of why Leeds needed Strand Larsen.
Why Leeds needed to signal Strand Larsen
The 2025/26 marketing campaign has been removed from Strand Larsen’s greatest season, on condition that he has scored only one Premier League objective, a penalty.
But, the 25-year-old confirmed final time period precisely how good he might be.
In 35 top-flight video games, the Wolves star bagged 14 targets, together with a run of seven targets in 9 video games to finish the marketing campaign. He was a significant purpose the Outdated Gold completed sixteenth within the desk and comfortably averted relegation.
Final season, he confirmed extra consistency than Leeds’ strikers have this time round. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is flying, with 9 targets to his title, although Lukas Nmecha has solely bagged 5 instances, Noah Okafor twice, and Joel Piroe has not scored in restricted minutes.
Leeds have depth up entrance, however are arguably lacking that high quality they solely get from the previous Everton striker.
In that sense, signing Strand Larsen, who averaged 0.48 targets per sport final season, would have made sense. He definitely might have boosted their survival hopes.
Nonetheless, in the long term, it might be a very good factor they didn’t signal him, as a result of there’s a younger striker whose path he could have blocked.
Leeds’ larger expertise than Strand Larsen
It’s clear to see why Leeds needed the Norwegian striker this winter. He might have introduced targets to the facet if given correct service, which might have performed an enormous half of their struggle towards relegation.
In the long run, although, lacking out on that signing may gain advantage the Whites’ homegrown expertise, Harry Grey.
He’s one other member of the Grey household to come back by means of the academy at Elland Highway, and has already made an impression out on mortgage at Rotherham United.
After a first-team debut final season, Grey noticed his alternatives diminished within the Premier League, making only one matchday squad.
The 17-year-old moved to League One Rotherham on mortgage, the place he has already scored twice in 4 appearances, making a simple transition to life on the AESSEAL New York Stadium.
This objective he scored on the weekend towards Exeter Metropolis confirmed the kind of expertise Leeds have on their books. The England under-17 worldwide had the boldness to choose the ball up within the left channel, drive inside on his proper foot and fireplace residence by means of a mass of defenders.
His numbers from the final two video games, towards Northampton City and Exeter, additional spotlight his expertise.
Except for scoring in every sport, he accomplished three progressive carries towards Northampton and received six duels out of eight towards the Grecians, displaying completely different sides to his sport.
|
Grey – final two video games |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
vs. Northampton |
vs. Exeter |
|
Touches |
33 |
29 |
|
Progressive carries |
3 |
1 |
|
Duels received |
3 |
6 |
|
Pictures on the right track |
2 |
2 |
|
Targets |
1 |
1 |
|
Stats from Sofascore |
||
Soccer scout Ben Mattinson described {the teenager} as “the true deal” initially of the season, and it’s simple to see why.
He has shone in academy soccer and is now proving that expertise is transferable to senior soccer.
It’s thrilling for Leeds followers to think about how good he can turn out to be sooner or later. If Grey is already performing like this at simply 17 years of age, then he’s absolutely solely going to get higher.
Signing Strand Larsen would have been a very good deal within the quick time period, however Grey’s expertise is one which Leeds can profit from extra over the approaching years. Be careful Calvert-Lewin, he is coming for the quantity 9 shirt.
Leeds United’s costliest gross sales of all time
A take a look at the document departures from Elland Highway.
