Disappointment may be a frequent occurrence in transfer windows for Leeds United, but they accept it’s a necessary evil in their pursuit of the next big things in football. Josko Gvardiol, Charles De Ketelaere, Cody Gakpo and Bamba Dieng are all players the Whites had some interest in without converting them into new signings.
Director of football Victor Orta has been briefed to identify and secure footballers at the start of, what their scouting would suggest is going to be, a rapid rise to the higher echelons of the game. Chief executive Angus Kinnear admits that has meant frequent misses for the club across the summer and winter markets.
Georginio Rutter is a recent example of success for the club. Kinnear feels success like Rutter make all the heartache on missed targets worthwhile because of the impact players like the Frenchman will go on to make at Elland Road.
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“As Mateusz [Klich] departed, we welcomed our new record signing Georginio Rutter to Leeds,” said Kinnear. “Georginio is a player we have believed for some time has immense potential and while his availability in January came as a surprise, we were quick to act.
“Our strategy of trying to secure players early in steep development trajectories means we only have short windows where Leeds United is a viable option. This ambition inevitably means we will frequently miss out on targets, but the upside is, when we are successful, we secure talent that can materially help the club move to the next level.”
Joel Robles remains the only player Leeds over the age of 25 since the end of the first season back in the Premier League. Max Wober was the other arrival this month and at 24, the club will feel he is another acquisition with his best years of football ahead of him.
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