RabiuLeeds star expected to leave US soon to complete transfer move
James Trafford is expected to be the latest arrival at Leeds United in this summer window. The Whites are aiming to build a team good enough to survive another season in the top flight.
£100 million was spent last year to bring in quality starters like Jaka Bijol, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor.
The major concern for Leeds in this window was that the club needed a first choice goalkeeper. Lucas Perri was signed for a big fee last summer and failed to deliver, and was benched by Karl Darlow.
Darlow turned down a new contract offer and decided to join Manchester United as a free agent.
Trafford will arrive in the coming weeks and will become the club’s number one goalkeeper. Reports suggest that he will become one of the highest earners at Elland Road.
Leeds United star expected to leave US training camp to seal transfer
The Manchester City star’s transfer will also see another deal go through.
Lucas Perri has had talks with Torino and both clubs have an agreement. It is expected to be a loan deal with the option to buy at the end of the season. The Brazilian wants a chance at being first choice elsewhere after last season.
But the Perri deal was on hold as Leeds wanted James Trafford to arrive first.
With the deal for the England international on the brink of completion, Torino are also on the other end. Tutto
Sport have reported that the Italian side are confident that Lucas Perri will join them soon.
The keeper is ready to ‘pack his bags’ and leave the US to sign for Torino.
Perri played the second half of the game against Wrexham on Sunday in the Whites’ pre-season tour in the US.
Leeds still have to find backup keeper
James Trafford arriving means that there will be a first choice goalkeeper going forward.
But with Perri leaving, the backup keeper situation gets a little complicated. Leeds only took two first team keepers on the US tour with Alex Cairns being the other option.
Cairns is old and will not be expected to be the backup if Trafford is unavailable.
So it is very likely the club will dip into the market to sign a backup goalkeeper. It is also possible that they will sign a free agent to fill that role as the new season approaches.
Leeds United’s Premier League season just got easier – rival left in shambles: View
Leeds United achieved everything they set out to last season.
Daniel Farke guided Leeds to 14th as they comfortably avoided the drop. An FA Cup semi-final was a much-welcomed bonus.
Next season, our objective will be the same again: to avoid the drop. But considering some of our transfer business this summer, many supporters have their eye on a mid-table finish. Even more ambitious supporters among us believe we could potentially finish in the top half.
If United do want a mid-table finish next season, this would now appear to be far more attainable with one of our direct rivals in shambles.
Eddie Howe leaves Newcastle midway through pre-season
According to a report via David Ornstein, Eddie Howe is set to leave Newcastle after five years in charge.
This comes midway through their pre-season preparations, with Newcastle losing 4-1 to Bristol City in their last outing.
It’s been a turbulent summer for Newcastle, with the Magpies losing Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon so far. Their captain, Bruno Guimaraes, also looks like he could follow the aforementioned pair out the exit door.
This comes after they infamously lost Alexander Isak to Liverpool last summer after a dramatic transfer saga.
Al Ahli manager Matthias Jaissle is being lined up to be the Magpies’ new head coach, per the same report.
For Leeds, any news of another Premier League club being in chaos can only be a positive heading into the new campaign.
Leeds have golden opportunity to leapfrog Newcastle next season
Whilst it is unlikely that they go down, there is a real possibility that Newcastle get dragged into a relegation battle next season. The turmoil that is currently going on at the club will be a lot to overcome.
As well as the three promoted teams, any other team getting dragged into that battle benefits Leeds.
The success Newcastle have enjoyed under Howe in recent seasons was incredible. They won the League Cup and finished in the Champions League twice under him.
Just last summer, the 49ers will surely have thought it would take many years to overtake Newcastle in the Premier League table.
However, next season, Leeds have a golden opportunity to leapfrog Newcastle whilst they roll the dice with an unproven manager in English football.
Teams like Newcastle are the sort we must compete with regularly if we want to establish ourselves in the Premier League. And if we want to get back into Europe at some point, we need to be putting them in the rear view mirror.
