Phil Hay: ‘one major deal to go’ for Leeds

Phil Hay via his latest episode of The Phil Hay Show has explained that Leeds United have ‘one major deal’ left to do this summer, after the signings of Rasmus Kristensen, Brenden Aaronson, Marc Roca, Darko Gyabi, Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra.

Speaking on the podscast, Hay said:

“They have got themselves into a position where they’re flying to Australia this weekend with a squad not far off being done. I think they’ve got one major deal to do, which is a forward to come in, this seems to depend as well on Raphinha going out, so they’re in good shape.”

Charles de Ketelaere has been the most widely documented option for Leeds, and potentially the trickiest signing given his quality, but Valentín Castellanos of NYCFC in MLS has also been suggested: ‘Taty’ has scored 10 goals in 14 games this season, which runs throughout the summer, and scored 19 goals with 8 further assists in the 2021 MLS season. He also scored 4 and assisted 4 in 6 CONCACAF Champions League, meaning he had more goal contributions than appearances. At just 23, he already looks like a cultured goal-scorer.

It seems that a striker is indeed high on Marsch’s list, as he suggested that the club were “actively hunting for a striker” after the club’s pre-season fixture against Blackpool this week, resulting in a 4-0 victory.

Patrick Bamford was plagued with injury woes last year, so the American likely wants someone he can rely on up front to keep some stability: Joe Gelhardt is a quality option, as he showed last season, but a team cannot spend a Premier League season with just two natural centre-forwards in contention, especially when one has been injured as much as Bamford has.