Leeds United are set for an incredibly busy summer of transfer business, after the first window opened on Sunday, as they look to recruit for a season in the Premier League.
The last six teams to have won promotion to the top-flight from the Championship have all been relegated at the first time of asking, including Burnley, Luton, Sheffield United, Leicester, Southampton, and Ipswich.
Daniel Farke, who was relegated from the Premier League with Norwich City in 2020, knows how difficult it will be for the Whites to avoid the drop, which is why the summer transfer window is so important.
Leeds have to recruit well if they want to have a shot at avoiding relegation back down to the Championship, which is what Victor Orta and Marcelo Bielsa did in the summer of 2020.
Orta splashed the cash to bring an exciting talent to Elland Road in the form of Raphinha ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, following the club’s promotion from the second tier, and it was a signing that helped them to avoid relegation for two seasons.
Why Raphinha was a big signing for Leeds
The Brazilian winger was a big signing for Leeds in a multitude of ways. Firstly, they reportedly paid Rennes a fee of £17m, plus add-ons, to bring him to West Yorkshire, which shows that they were willing to spend a significant sum of money on his services.
Secondly, Raphinha was a big addition for the Whites and Bielsa because he made an instant and huge impact at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League, providing quality in the final third on a regular basis to secure vital points for his side.
The Brazil international, as shown in the highlights above, was an exciting player for supporters to watch with plenty of goals, assists, and skills in his debut year in English football with the club.
Raphinha ended that first season with a return of six goals and nine assists in 30 appearances in the Premier League, which shows that he hit the ground running and did not need much time to adapt to the country and division.
Appearances
30
35
Goals
6
11
Big chances missed
4
6
Big chances created
12
10
Key passes per game
2.1
1.9
Assists
9
3
Dribbles completed per game
1.9
1.8
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed wizard followed that up with a haul of 21 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 35 outings in the top-flight to lead them to survival under Jesse Marsch.
That form, finally, led to another reason why he was a big signing for Leeds, because it earned him a mega £55m transfer to Barcelona in the summer of 2022, which represented a huge profit on the £17m that they paid Rennes for his services two years prior.
The Whites were, of course, relegated the season after he left, illustrating how important he was to their survival, and Leeds could land their biggest and most influential signing since Raphinha by landing a reported Premier League target.
Leeds eyeing move for Premier League midfielder
Journalist Ben Jacobs has suggested that Leeds United could be eyeing up a deal to sign central £35m midfielder Yves Bissouma from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window.
The Mali international just won the Europa League with Spurs, starting in the final against Manchester United, but he could be on his way out of North London in the coming weeks, with the Whites said to be a team to watch in the race for his services.
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Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT: “He wants to stay in the Premier League. I’m told Leeds are another one to watch. They’re looking to add another midfielder. It will all come down to finances and wages for them too.”
As the reporter said, wages could come into play as Bissouma earns £55k-per-week, per Capology. Patrick Bamford is reportedly on £70k-per-week, per Capology, which does not suggest that the club would have to break their wage structure to bring the Spurs midfielder in.
It now remains to be seen whether or not Leeds will be able to get a deal over the line for the ex-Brighton star, but he could be their biggest signing since Raphinha if they can bring him to Elland Road.
Why Bissouma would be Leeds' biggest signing since Raphinha
As aforementioned, Raphinha was a huge addition for Leeds because the quality that he provided at the top end of the pitch played a pivotal role in the team avoiding relegation from the Premier League in both of his seasons at the club.
The Whites have not achieved top-flight survival in a season since the Brazilian star moved on from Elland Road, but Bissouma is a player who has the potential to lead them to survival in the 2025/26 campaign.
Whilst the Mali international did not have the best season with Spurs, starting just 16 of his 28 outings in the top-flight, his form for Brighton before his move to Spurs shows that the potential is there for him to be an excellent player at that level.
U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed that Bissouma was “the best DM in the Premier League” in February 2021, and that was not an outrageous claim to make between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns.
Appearances
36
26
Pass accuracy
87%
89%
Tackles per game
2.9
2.9
Interceptions per game
1.8
1.9
Error led to shot/goal
0
0
Duel success rate
59%
59%
As you can see in the table above, the then-Brighton star caught the eye with 4.7 and 4.8 tackles and interceptions per game in those two seasons, which shows that he was constantly winning the ball back for his side by breaking up opposition attacks.
For context, no Leeds player managed more than 3.5 tackles and interceptions combined per game in the Championship this season, illustrating just how impressive Bissouma’s form for Brighton was from a defensive perspective.
The Spurs midfielder has shown signs of that quality during his time in London, averaging 4.2 tackles and interceptions per match in the Premier League for the club in the 2023/24 term, but he peaked with the Seagulls.
At the age of 28, Bissouma still has plenty of time to get back to his best, though, and that is why he could be a transformational signing for Leeds as a proven top-flight performer who could be the ‘best DM in the Premier League’ at his best, making him their best and biggest signing since Raphinha as no one else has kept the team in the top tier since the Brazilian left in 2022.
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He would arrive at Elland Road with pedigree and quality and could provide a strong foundation for Farke’s side in the middle of the park with his ability to consistently break up attacks, which would be particularly vital in a relegation battle where they may have their backs against the wall at times.