Leeds United are enjoying a successful season after suffering relegation from the Premier League this year, but manager Daniel Farke is keen to consolidate the flourishing fortunes.
Championship table-toppers Leicester City recently fell to Farke’s blade at the King Power Stadium in a display that underscored the Whites’ credentials for promotion and exhibited the cohesion and resilience that has not been present at the club for the past few years in the Premier League.
Leeds transfer news – Nadiem Amiri
According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Nadiem Amiri has expressed regret over snubbing Leeds in the summer, with Farke’s side presented with an opportunity to sign him once again in January.
The five-cap Germany international was the subject of an accepted €6m (£5m) bid from the Elland Road club earlier this year, with Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso not deeming the midfielder a core part of his vision.
Whether a deal is resurrected lies in Farke’s hands, but it would certainly be a good move given the quality he could bring, and the supposed willingness to now forge ahead with a move to Yorkshire.
Nadiem Amiri’s style of play
Amiri, aged 27, has completed 142 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring 12 goals and supplying 20 assists across all competitions.
As per FBref, the £47k-per-week ace ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 7% for total shots, the top 10% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, emphasising the kind of positive qualities that could be injected into the burgeoning fold at Leeds.
The metrics-led site likens Amiri to Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn, referencing the pairs’ likeness in progression on the pitch – indeed, Villa’s £120k-per-week machine ranks among the top 6% of positional peers for successful take-ons per 90.
Described as an “exceptional” midfielder by former manager Dean Smith, McGinn’s energy and ceaseless pursuit of driving the play forward has been crucial to Aston Villa’s ascendancy under Unai Emery – with seven goals and assists already this season – and Amiri could emulate this for United.
Amiri was dubbed the “ideal” addition in midfield for Farke’s project back in the summer by Leeds presenter Oscar Marrio, which really is starting to click into full gear and could be augmented tremendously through the signing of such a creative and forward-thinking central presence.
Marrio said: “Amiri is absolutely ideal for Farke, press resistant & prioritises keeping the ball rather over trying to play defence splitting passes (although he is capable of this as well). Also takes the ball on the back foot, combines & create angles to get the wingers in dangerous areas.”
Doubters might put forth the point that such a talented player might be dissuaded from joining a squad plying its trade in the second tier of English football, but Leeds have put in the groundwork previously to win him over.
Moreover, Amiri might be enticed by joining this new-look Leeds team which seems to grow in confidence and cohesion with each passing fixture; Farke and the 49er Enterprises must now throw the kitchen sink at securing his signature, taking a major stride in their push for an instantaneous return to the top-flight.