AliousLeeds United is actively seeking midfielders in the transfer market, not only to replace departing players but also to add much-needed goal-scoring ability to the midfield, an area that underperformed last season.
Manager Daniel Farke has emphasized the success of Leeds’ 90-point season and playoff final appearance, given the club’s situation when he took over.
However, he acknowledges there are areas for improvement, which he aims to address through new signings.
Despite losing Archie Gray and Glen Kamara, Leeds has brought in Joe Rothwell on a season-long loan from Bournemouth.
Rothwell’s four goals for Southampton in the latter half of last season contributed to their promotion via the playoffs.
Currently, Leeds has three senior midfielders: Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, and Rothwell, with Charlie Crew potentially making his competitive debut this season.
Last season, Leeds’ midfield struggled to contribute goals, with Gruev’s free-kick in the playoff semi-final being the only goal from a midfielder in league play.
Rothwell’s four goals in half a season at Southampton already indicate Farke’s intention to boost midfield goal contributions.
Farke’s previous promotion-winning squads at Norwich City demonstrate the importance of this renewed focus on midfield scoring.
In the 2018/19 season, Norwich had 12 players score more than once, with 27 goals and 23 assists coming from central midfielders.
The 2020/21 season saw fewer individual contributions, but still resulted in 6 goals and 12 assists from the main midfield trio.
While it’s unclear who will replace Kamara, Farke recognizes that the lack of midfield goals was a significant weakness last season and aims to address this issue through strategic recruitment.
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