14 Sep 2021 07:29:43
You almost wonder whether keeping Alioski or using Dallas would have been a much better option. Don't buy Firpo. Don't buy James and get someone like De Paul. And you save a few quid.

1.) 14 Sep 2021
14 Sep 2021 11:36:57
De Paul would never go to Leeds, he is Champions League player.
Alioski was energetic but he was not good enough as a left back. Firpo - only 13 mil. I am sure we can get double easily next year.
But DJ… Overpriced, hope Bielsa knows what they are doing.

2.) 14 Sep 2021
14 Sep 2021 11:53:27
I don’t think keeping Alioski was an option. Leeds offered a contract but he refused (and we can’t be held to ransom if our offer was less than he wanted! ) . I think he must have wanted a new challenge. I think buying James was a great move, I think he will cause havoc with MB coaching and enable Raph to move inside. I don’t think we were ever in a race with Athletico for De Paul.

3.) 14 Sep 2021
14 Sep 2021 12:07:32
White Ruski yes De Paul was always going to a CL club but Hess said 'someone like De Paul' ; a quality CM should have been the MUST have essential signing at all costs for Leeds United this summer.

4.) 14 Sep 2021
14 Sep 2021 12:31:00
WR - Leeds apparently felt the £25m initial fee was in line with the market, particularly bearing in mind the domestic player premium. For example, Joe Willock went to Newcastle from Arsenal for the same initial fee, having appeared in the Prem and Europa League, but no full international appearances. Whereas Dan James has 24 caps and scored 4 goals as a full international.

Emi Buendia went to Villa for an initial fee of around £33m, despite not having national caps above u20.

5.) 14 Sep 2021
14 Sep 2021 13:31:29
Baz - a suspect we wouldn’t have been able to convince a quality CM to join us this summer. Bielsa values the consistency and industry etc provided by Dallas and is persisting with his Rodrigo at CAM experiment. Any CM looking at this and seeing that Klich, an experienced and quality CM, and Polish international at the Euros isn’t getting game time, would have wanted assurances on game time that Orta wouldn’t have been able to give, and Bielsa might have said no anyway, as he doesn’t like having unhappy players in the squad. Clearly the Rodrigo at 10 experiment needs to start delivering soon, or be abandoned. It may well already have become the ‘elephant in the room’ for discussions between Orta, Bielsa, Radz and Kinnear, as all will be aware that it is an issue, and could become a very significant one. None of them will want to see it cost the Club too many points, or supporters’ goodwill. Can’t imagine that Rodrigo will be unaware of the issue too, and clearly he’ll have to remain focused if he’s to have any chance of making it work.

6.) 14 Sep 2021
14 Sep 2021 15:09:56
Another issue is that it's hard to justify leaving 27mil on the bench when there are players worth a fraction of that playing week I week out. Cooper is actually worth minus 27million and he still gets a game.