Daniel Wales and Charles Hague-Jones discuss Leeds United’s summer transfer plans.
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00:00Now, Leeds United are obviously back in the Premier League, which means a rebuild is probably likely in the summer window in terms of getting some top talent in to ensure they stay in the division.
00:13Obviously, the last two seasons, we've seen all six promoted side be relegated at the first time of asking, which is quite a damning stat in terms of modern football and where they are.
00:23Now, Leeds United obviously already being linked to the likes of Jamie Vardy and Michael Keane, you know, Premier League experienced players, players who will know what they're doing in the top flight.
00:35I mean, Dan, we're going to go to our Leeds correspondent, Dan. Dan, just on Leeds United and their transfer plans, it's obviously a massive summer window, you know, whether Daniel Farker is to stay.
00:46I'm sure he probably is at the moment, but, you know, that's had mixed emotions as well.
00:50Well, they're going up to the Premier League. They've got a massive, massive, you know, task ahead to make sure they remain up there.
00:58What do you feel they need from this window? Because they're going to need to invest, you feel.
01:02They're going to need to get the signings right. What positions of the pitch do you feel they need to improve on as well?
01:08Obviously, the goal scoring department was fantastic in the championship.
01:12Will that continue in the Premier League? Unlikely, really.
01:15You know, the leap up is absolutely a massive one. So a huge summer transfer window.
01:22Dan, what's your thoughts on how they're going to navigate it and their transfer plans ahead of this massive Premier League campaign for Leeds United?
01:32You're right, Charles. It is a massive campaign indeed for Leeds United as a club.
01:36And, of course, before that, preceding that, there will be a huge transfer window in which they have to get things right.
01:43Simply because, of course, you can't just spend what you want in football anymore.
01:47There are financial restrictions, especially in English football, PSR.
01:50We hear about it all the time.
01:51And so Leeds have to make sure that the money they do spend, they spend wisely and correctly on the type of player that they need to survive in the Premier League.
02:01And maybe not even just survive. I think they'd like to compete. Of course they would.
02:04It's not just a case of Leeds scraping for that 17th place.
02:08They'd like to be perhaps, you know, sort of just lower mid-table, comfortably surviving, not just scraping into another season in the Premier League.
02:18Of course, I think one of the key areas, certainly, is the striking department.
02:22Obviously, in the season just gone in the Championship, Joe Perrault was the Championship's top scorer.
02:26He did very, very well, but he remains an unproven quantity in the Premier League.
02:31And so Leeds probably will be looking to bring in a reinforcement in that area if Perrault is unable to make the step up to the Premier League standards,
02:39which, of course, we've seen so many times players be really good in the Championship in terms of goal scoring,
02:44but not quite cut the mustard in the Premier League.
02:47So they'll probably look for a Premier League-proven striker.
02:50There's certainly been rumours around Beto of Everton.
02:55I think some Leeds supporters have looked at that rumour and perhaps been a little bit underwhelmed by it.
02:59And you can sort of understand that because, of course, you're going for a player who's at a club who are having an average season
03:07and, to be honest, had a very poor start to the season before David Moyes came in.
03:11Leeds, perhaps, are trying to aim even higher.
03:13But at the same time, the caveat to that is he is Premier League-proven.
03:17He does score goals at this level, maybe not loads and loads, but certainly knows where the back of the net is at the standard of English football.
03:24So perhaps Leeds fans shouldn't actually turn their noses up too much at a signing like that if it were to come in for Leeds.
03:31Of course, as I say, they can't just spend what they want, so they have to be careful with what they do spend
03:39and they have to make sure that the money they spend is good and useful.
03:44And on top of that as well, of course, Leeds have said they are going to go to the limits of what they can spend this summer.
03:52So that's an excitement, at least for the supporters and, of course, the players as well, because they'll look to see other new players coming in.
04:00It'll create competition within the squad, which is actually, I often think, can be a good thing
04:04because it breeds that sort of competitive spirit between players to fight for those places.
04:09But certainly Leeds, as I say, the striking department is key.
04:12Of course, it's whether they then also look to bring in some of the players who've been on loan this season.
04:16You look at Manuel Solomon.
04:16He's now gone back to Tottenham, but will Leeds look to do a deal with Spurs to bring Solomon back to Leeds United?
04:23Certainly, I think all the supporters at Leeds would absolutely love that, but it's whether a deal can be arranged and struck up.
04:30Certainly, fee might not be an issue, but wages, you just don't know.
04:35It will be an interesting one and an interesting summer for Leeds in general.
04:39I think attacking players are where they need it, but sometimes they need some stability in the midfield as well.