Availability is proving the biggest problem for Leeds United in the home stretch of the summer transfer window as their desired strikers remain off the table for now. Chief executive Angus Kinnear has lifted the lid on how the final 11 days of the window look in his Chelsea programme notes.
More than six weeks have passed since the club’s last first-team (Joel Robles is a back-up) edition in the form of Luis Sinisterra. Kinnear talked up the value of doing all of that business so early in the summer and allowing time for integration.
The one loose end of the window has been the addition of a striker. Charles De Ketelaere was far and away the primary target of the summer, but since a €40m offer went begging, that slot has been the elephant in the room.
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Jesse Marsch, Andrea Radrizzani and Kinnear have all talked about the importance of finding the right, not just any, striker. They need to be young enough to develop into a profitable resale opportunity and tuned enough to meet the demands of Marsch’s system as well as the Premier League.
“One of the striking features of our first two fixtures has been the speed of adaptation of our new signings,” said Kinnear. “It is notoriously challenging for many players to transition to the Premier League and it can often take over a season, so it is a credit to both the scouting team and the coaching staff this summer’s recruits have embraced both our football philosophy, and the rigours of the most competitive league in the world, so rapidly.
“The positive integration has not just taken place on the pitch and the sense of camaraderie and professionalism at Thorp Arch, which has been at the heart of our renaissance, has been strengthened and not diluted over the summer. Completing the majority of our business early in the window has been key to this success, with the full squad being able to benefit from the full pre-season and the bonding experience of two weeks in Australia.”
It would appear the availability of such a forward is becoming the big issue. Victor Orta will have the names which suit their desired profile, but it’s another matter for their clubs to come to the table for meaningful negotiations.
“While we will remain vigilant for the last two weeks of the window, it seems player availability is becoming more challenging,” said Kinnear.
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