Leeds United Director of Football Victor Orta has discussed the four key areas he is using to strengthen his search four the ideal potential summer signing.
Orta has a tricky job on his hands this year, knowing that he must prepare for two possible eventualities: promotion into the Premier League and the necessity to sign top-tier talents, or another Championship campaign and the alternative targets that will be on the board.
To try and take the stress out of his work, Orta puts a lot of effort into learning as much as he can about players before scouting them in person. And the Spaniard has now revealed the four aspects that he focuses on in his search for players that will benefit boss Marcelo Bielsa ahead of the upcoming window.
“We are creating a document that we are calling ‘DNA Leeds United Player’,” Orta said at a WyScout event, via quotes by Leeds Live. “And we’re detecting more or less what is our standards to try to recruit a player.
“Obviously, for me, when you’re in recruitment you need to evaluate four things. One is the technical level that you can minimise the risk, because in the end with tools like WyScout, you can monitor the player in a long way.
What part of the squad needs the most attention?
Goalkeeper
Defence
Midfield
Attack
“The other is the physical level, and in this century you can even have metrics about this. And then there are two situations that is more difficult to try to minimise the risk.
“One is the transition, which is watching a player perform in an atmosphere and seeing if this same player can perform in a different atmosphere. And obviously the psychological analysis that is more risky, because at the end they are persons and a lot of things can be involved around them.
“But these are more or less the four points [we are looking at] and then you can detail the technical level, the things that fit for your team, that fits for your tournament. But for me, these are the four legs in a table.”
Leeds already have several deals or potential deals in place for the upcoming summer window, so it remains to be seen what business Orta will carry out this year, having signed Helder Costa from Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan with an obligation to buy in a £15million deal that is irrespective of our promotion push.
We also have an obligation to buy RB Leipzig loanee Jean-Kevin Augustin, though Orta would only be required to hand the Bundesliga outfit €21m (£18.6m) if Bielsa is able to guide the club into the Premier League this season.
Beyond the obligations, the club have an optional clause for Manchester City loanee Jack Harrison at £8million and one for FC Lorient’s Illan Meslier, and reports earlier in the week claimed we will be triggering our £5m option for the French shot-stopper.
In other Leeds United news, the club are said to be ready to sign an emerging talent expected to become a first-team mainstay.