It was always going to be interesting to see how Leeds United approached the summer transfer window with regard to the positions and profiles of players they targeted.
The Whites won the Championship title with a staggering 100 points last season, after losing in the play-off final the season before, and this meant that Daniel Farke had a lot of players in his squad who had done a lot of great work for him.
However, the reality is that the Premier League is a huge step up, both technically and physically, from the Championship, which meant that some players were not going to be able to be as influential as they were last term, or the season before that.
So far, with around a week left to go in the summer transfer window, the Whites have only added one winger to their squad, with the signing of Noah Okafor from AC Milan.
The Switzerland international mainly plays on the left or through the middle as a centre-forward, which means that the club have not yet moved to bring in a recognised right-sided option.
Doing so should be one of Farke’s priorities heading into the end of the window, though, because there should be a concern over Dan James’ ability to deliver consistently in the Premier League.
Why Leeds need an alternative option to Dan James
The Wales international delivered 12 goals and nine assists as Farke’s first-choice right winger in the Championship last season, per Sofascore, which was an impressive return from the speedster.
However, the 27-year-old has yet to prove that he can terrorise Premier League full-backs in the same way that he did defenders in the second tier in his career to date.
The step up in quality means that James is up against defenders who cover space more intelligently and effectively than average Championship operators, which makes it harder for him to simply use his speed to generate chances for himself or his teammates.
He has never managed more than four goals in a Premier League season before, with just two goals in 24 games for Fulham in the 2022/23 campaign, and has struggled at the start of the current campaign.
Minutes
78
66
Shots
2
2
Shots on target
0
0
Key passes
1
0
Big chances created
0
0
xA
0.05
0.00
Pass accuracy
56%
55%
Possession lost
16x
8x
As you can see in the table above, James has failed to register a shot on target and mustered up just 0.05 xA in over two hours of football on the pitch against Everton and Arsenal in the first two games.
Whilst the Welsh forward may yet adapt and prove himself to be a key figure in the Leeds attack this season, it currently seems as though the Whites need another option to at least compete with him for that starting berth.
Leeds have interest in Serie A forward
A fresh report has now emerged that suggests that the Championship champions are looking for a player to potentially be an upgrade on James.
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According to LeedsLive, Juventus winger Nicolas Gonzalez has emerged on the club’s radar heading into the final week of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Whites have been alerted to the Argentina international’s availability, and that Farke would prefer his profile to that of Dilane Bakwa, who is also of interest to the club.
Gonzalez’s ability to play on either flank or centrally is said to appeal to the German head coach, who wants versatility across the frontline, which may be why they are eyeing him up as an alternative to Bakwa.
It was reported earlier this summer that the forward will be available for a fee of around £22m, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites are willing to pay that much to sign him on a permanent deal.
“Nicolas Gonzalez is a player that can go on to unbelievably high levels. If Bernardo Silva was ever to knock on Pep Guardiola’s door, and think it is time for me to move on, I think he should be seriously looking at Gonzalez. He will be huge, we just looked at some of the numbers there in terms of their goals in the Conference League, they top the possession charts, that’s their style. He is very similar to Silva. Silva has more consistency in his game, but when you look at talent.” – Don Hutchinson on Nico Gonzalez.
Why Leeds should sign Nico Gonzalez
Farke should push for the club to get a deal done for the Argentine forward before the summer transfer window slams shut because he could come in as an upgrade on James.
Gonzalez joined Juventus, initially on loan, from Fiorentina last summer and did not enjoy the best year in Turin, scoring five goals and providing four assists in 35 matches, per Sofascore.
However, his form for Fiorentina in previous seasons suggests that he has the potential to shine in the Premier League for Leeds, away from the big pressure and expectation that comes with playing for Juventus in Italy.
Per Sofascore, Gonzalez scored 30 goals in 86 matches in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns combined before his move to Juventus, which shows that he can carry a big threat as a goalscorer at the top level.
His form in the 2023/24 Serie A season, in particular, suggests that the quality is there for him to arrive at Elland Road as an upgrade on James for Farke in the club’s bid to avoid an instant relegation from the Premier League.
Appearances
29
Starts
21
xG
10.42
Goals
12
Big chances created
3
xA
3.13
Assists
2
As you can see in the table above, Gonzalez fired in an impressive haul of 12 goals from 10.42 xG in the Serie A for Fiorentina, which earned him his move to Juventus.
James, as aforementioned, has never scored more than four goals in a top-flight season, in four attempts, which suggests that the Argentina international is far more likely to provide a threat in front of goal for Leeds in the Premier League.
Gonzalez, who was hailed as “brilliant” for Fiorentina by commentator Chris Wittyngham, is also a left-footed right winger, which means that he has more scope to come infield to make things happen.
At Premier League level, James can get stuck out wide on his right foot, unable to get down the line by beating his market and uncomfortable coming into crowded central positions on his weak foot.
As a left-footed player, Gonzalez could drift in on his preferred foot to make things happen, creating doubt in the defender’s mind to potentially open space on the overlap for Jayden Bogle, and that could make him a more effective tactical outlet for Farke to have in the final third.
