Delving into the loan market would be a smart idea and one that Leeds United, Daniel Farke and the 49ers should look to take full advantage of.
All three promoted sides from last term used the loan market wisely, with Ipswich and Southampton leaning especially heavily on the reliance of loan players.
Joe Rothwell was one such signing the Saints brought in last term and it’s one that Leeds have now added for this upcoming season. He offers vital experience (which Daniel Farke wanted) for a nominal fee and it adds options and a different look to our game in midfield.
Here I’ve identified three players in positions we currently need bodies. They are all first team ready and can add to the squad from day one:
CAMERON ARCHER – CF – 22 – Aston Villa
In a strange turn of events, Archer has ended up returning to Villa this season. The terms of his £18.5m switch to Sheffield United last season included a mandatory buy-back clause should Sheff get relegated. And as such he has now returned to Villa.
Emery shipped him off last season, so it stands to reason he may be available again this summer.
A prerequisite and non-negotionable for our centre forward this season has to be someone who is a composed finisher. Archer is plenty experienced at this level, having banged 18 goals and 7 assists in previous loan spells at Preston and Middlesborough. While at Boro, Archer had a goal conversion rate of 30%, as opposed to Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe, who, this season, both had poor conversion rates of 15%.
Archer is a quintessential centre forward. He has an abundance of pace, can score a variety of goals – left foot, right foot, headers, penalties – he’s a brilliant ball carrier, intuitive runner and attacker of space and his main focus is scoring goals – with his heatmap seeing him involved in the box a lot more than the aforementioned Bamford and Piroe.
Furthermore, he is more than adept in build-up play, interlinking with teammates and busting a gut to get himself in a more dangerous position to create for teammates or force himself into a goal scoring opportunity.
As a defensive presser from the front, he’s very useful and can cover a lot of ground. Archer ranks in the 77th percentile for tackles in the attacking third, the 84th percentile for dribbles tackled and the 90th percentile for passes blocked.
An instinctual and composed striker, who leverages his pace and intuition to impact the game in the final third.
His Villa future is uncertain right now and a loan seems feasible at this juncture. Enquiring for one is the least Leeds could do.
Recommendation: Loan – obligation to buy should certain conditions are met.
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CESARE CASADEI – CM – 21 – Chelsea
Casadei had a relatively tepid time at Leicester last season before being recalled from his loan there. Pochettino gave him some game time when he returned, seeing something in the young Italian. And I do, too.
One issue at Leicester was Maresca’s inability to identify his best position. The Foxes boss decided to play Casadei in a more defensive role. The trouble is Casadei is much better in a more progressive role further up the pitch. He’s a proper box-to-box midfielder, so hemming him in to sit in a deeper position negated the full use of his qualities as a player.
Casadei has real quality in all facets of his game. Maresca likely misidentified this due to Casadei being physical, agile, a tough tackler and brilliant presser, but neglected to see that he isn’t the most press resistant, so balls to feet with his back to goal are not his forte, albeit not bad either.
Alternatively, he’s an quality box crasher, goal scorer and chance creator, who plays better when he has his head up and is facing up the pitch. His vision and passing range are much better suited to playing in the opposing half, where he can link up play by passing and moving and using plenty of vertical passing to help his team make incisions into the opposition. He encourages progression in his play, whether dribbling, or his passing – which he favours more – as opposed to lateral and backwards passing. His movement off the ball compounds this ability, as he takes up dangerous positions once he’s released the ball.
Furthermore, his large frame sees him dominate in a lot of aerial duels, meaning not only can he challenge well in play, but he is very useful from set pieces or corners.
A fit, intelligent, energetic, tall, physical box-to-box midfielder, who has a preference to progress up the pitch, is something Leeds are in need of. Casadei ticks all the boxes.
Chelsea currently have an abundance of players at the club and given Maresca’s – who is now managing Chelsea – utilisation of Casadei last season, the young Italian starlet may be looking to get regular game time at another top Championship club which will look to use his assets better.
Recommendation: Loan – Option to buy
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ISSA KABORE – RB – 23 – Man City
Issa Kabore enjoyed a loan spell at Luton Town last season, where the Burkinabè played 24 times for the struggling outfit. Now back at Man City and looking surplus to requirements, there’s the possibility to loan the physically gifted right back.
Immediately, the first thing noticeable about how Kabore plays is that he is insanely athletic. He is fit, has physicality, pace and tenacity in abundance. It provides an impressive springboard into other aspects of his game.
Kabore is a tough tackler, who loves to put himself about. He ranks in the top 80th percentile for duels won, at 56.7%. This coming from playing slightly more advanced for Luton, often starting at right wing back as opposed to right back position. He averages 2.71 tackles per 90 minutes, which also see him rate highly in the 86th percentile. He makes things very hard from the opposing team thanks to his aggressive defending and ability to press opponents with his acceleration and anticipation. He’s an especially mean presser and tackler in the final two thirds of the pitch. The acceleration he possesses also means he has the recovery speed to get back should the opposing player find themselves advancing past him at any point.
Whilst Kabore is very strong defensively, he also stands out as someone I’d love to have at Leeds thanks to his attacking ability. Gray went above and beyond last season, but at right back he was rarely a great outlet attacking-wise.
When teammates are on the ball, Kabore loves to get high up the pitch and provide width. This trait would work particularly well with an inside forward who prefers to play in the half spaces, such as Georginio Rutter. Dependent on what our set up is in each particular game, he’s also adaptable and equally adept at underlapping. That would also work well if Dan James provided us width while Kabore attacked the half spaces.
On the ball he’s a strong runner and hard to dispossess if you try to stack up against him physically. He uses his acceleration well and once he beats a man he gets his head up to look for the next move. Kabore’s progressive carries see him average 3.12 per 90 minutes, ranking him in the 89th percentile. Furthermore he is incisive, as witnessed by his carries into the penalty area, where he ranks in the 82nd percentile.
Kabore is also an accomplished crosser who plays teasing balls into and across the box. He was unlucky to not get more assists last season, and would have if not for his teammates being wasteful with goalscoring opportunities, as he laid on some beautiful final balls. This saw him rank in the 78th percentile for crosses into the box, whilst he averaged 3.44 crosses per 90 minutes.
Kabore is still raw, but he has bags of talent and the ability to be an imposing two-way full back, which could definitely take this Leeds team up a notch.
Recommendation: Loan – option to buy
Author: Ryan Thomas.