For the second season operating, Leeds United have discovered themselves dealing with an actual scrap for survival heading into the ultimate few weeks of the season, with there presently little to separate the underside 9 golf equipment within the division.
A serious situation for the Whites since their return to the Premier League just below three years in the past has been their struggles defensively, with the Elland Highway outfit having shipped 44 objectives already this season – the fifth-worst report within the league – after beforehand conceding 79 objectives final time period.
That dismal latest report might in the end show expensive for the Yorkshire aspect in the event that they do slip again into the second tier, with the membership set to be left to rue their switch dealings of late which have contributed to these woes.
A key determine in that shaky backline has been that of Germany worldwide, Robin Koch, with the 26-year-old – who was signed from Bundesliga aspect Freiburg for a payment of round £13m again in 2020 – having struggled to persuade since being snapped up by Marcelo Bielsa.
How a lot is Robin Koch value now?
In reality, it might be that Bielsa and co had one thing of a nightmare with regard to their signing of the eight-cap dud, with Koch now mentioned to be value as little as €7m (£6m), in keeping with CIES Soccer Observatory, with simply over a 12 months left to run on his current deal.
That lowly determine represents a lower of round 54% from that £13m payment that was paid to carry the versatile centre-back to the Premier League, with such a drop in valuation hardly pointing to astute enterprise for the Leeds hierarchy.
The Kaiserslautern native was reportedly placed on the switch checklist final summer time with the membership prepared to simply accept a payment of round £10-£11m to sanction his sale, though it could now seem that the struggling defender may very well be moved on for even much less this time round.
Considerably bizarrely, regardless of the £40k-per-week man having been branded “horrible to observe” by reporter Beren Cross, there may be mentioned to be curiosity in his providers from Tottenham Hotspur, with that set to show an opportune time to half methods forward of subsequent season.
Whereas Koch could properly have suffered on account of his skill to characteristic in a wide range of positions – having been branded a “utility participant” by ex-Leeds defender Danny Mills – the 6 foot 4 brute has not often satisfied when he has been deployed in his most popular, centre-back berth.
These woes are laid naked by the truth that he ranks in simply the backside 7% amongst his European friends for cross completion as an instance his ball-playing difficulties, whereas the towering asset additionally ranks in simply the highest 45% for tackles made and the highest 40% for interceptions, having additionally been one thing of a legal responsibility defensively.
In reality, regardless of if Javi Gracia‘s males are capable of stave off the drop or not, Leeds ought to take into consideration transferring on Koch whereas they will nonetheless a minimum of recoup a payment, even when it could signify a disappointing loss on their preliminary funding.
