Presentations, strategy, face-to-face meetings, video analysis and a personal touch have been the hallmarks of Victor Orta’s most contested Leeds United transfers.
When the Whites have gone in for those sought-after players, those names wanted by multiple clubs, the ones they get over the line have frequently said the same thing.
Junior Firpo, Ian Poveda, Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Joe Gelhardt and Eddie Nketiah are among the acquisitions Leeds had to fight hard for.
All of them spoke of the way they were made to feel wanted by Leeds, the way they were carefully guided through a vision of how they fitted in at Elland Road under Marcelo Bielsa.
In some cases, like Gelhardt’s, Bielsa even gets involved himself and speaks directly to the player about the way his future would look at Leeds.
Firpo, Rodrigo and Koch have all spoken of Orta’s flights to their cities in the days and weeks before their moves.
The director of football would fly where necessary to shake hands, show his face and physically show that desire to bring the player on board.
It may not have worked every time. There will be plenty of players Orta and Leeds have missed out on, even with this charm offensive, but the point is the effort is made and no stone is left unturned in showing a footballer why West Yorkshire must be their next home.
Such a flight was taken by Orta last month. The Spaniard was pictured in Munich en route to Austria for talks with Red Bull Salzburg.
There was little to no prospect of the Austrian giants changing their stance on Brenden Aaronson after a £15m offer was rejected, but Orta went out there nonetheless.
A £20m second bid was subsequently ignored too, but the fact is Orta and Leeds still made the effort to take that flight and make it abundantly clear to Aaronson and his inner circle just how serious they were.
It’s unclear whether Orta was able to meet Aaronson in person and even less likely a presentation of some kind would have been even appropriate with Salzburg not negotiating, but the American international can see the lengths Leeds went to.
It would have been easy to sit tight in the offices at Elland Road, pinging over e-mails with eight-figure bids, but Orta and his team ventured out to Austria to make their play and grease the wheels on a deal they hope will come to fruition in the summer.
Leeds will watch Aaronson’s run-in with interest. Last night, his five chances created against European giants Bayern Munich were unmatched by anyone else on the field.
Opta’s Jonny Cooper rammed home the significance of Aaronson’s starring role. He said the American was the youngest player to create five chances in a Champions League knockout match since Lionel Messi in 2008.
If Aaronson continues in that vein, his rise is going to bear the hallmarks of Daniel James in 2019.
The Swansea City man went into January that year virtually anonymous in the Championship and came out of it with the eyes of the Premier League on him after United’s failed chase.
Manchester United would ultimately blow Leeds out of the water with their summer bid and Whites fans will be hoping the same fate does not befall Aaronson in the next window.
Interest in Aaronson could grow, Salzburg could see the offers rise and rise, but Leeds will hope, assuming they keep with the highest bids, the initial groundwork done by Orta and his team will go a long way to showing the American where his next steps should be taken.
