‘Really disappointed’: Leeds believed they had secured international star’s signature in the summer – journalist

Leeds United’s transfer business this season took time to yield results, with many of their new signings only recently making an impact on the pitch.

Of the eight new additions, aside from Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle, most had to wait for their opportunities.

Players like Largie Ramazani, Ao Tanaka, and Joe Rothwell have only started featuring prominently in recent matches.

Ramazani has caught attention with two goals and an assist in just four starts, while Tanaka’s performances have earned praise from figures like former Leeds player Tony Dorigo.

Rothwell also impressed during his first full league start, contributing to a strong performance against Sunderland.

However, three of Leeds’ other signings, Isaac Schmidt, Alex Cairns, and Manor Solomon, have not seen much action.

Solomon, in particular, has been sidelined due to injury, despite having made an impressive debut against Hull City where he looked a class above.

One of the key stories of Leeds’ transfer window involved their pursuit of Roland Sallai.

While the club made several strong signings, there were also some frustrations, particularly in their efforts to strengthen the number 10 position.

One target Leeds had been close to securing was Hungarian international Roland Sallai.

Leeds entered talks with SC Freiburg about a permanent move for Sallai towards the end of the window, but unfortunately, the deal did not come to fruition.

Sallai ultimately joined Turkish side Galatasaray, and according to transfer expert Graeme Bailey, Leeds were left disappointed by this outcome. Bailey explained to LeedsUnited.

News that the club had been confident of signing Sallai and believed he would make a significant impact in England.

“They thought they had him,” Bailey said, “and I think that was a bit of a blow for them. He is a good player, and at this level, I think he would’ve made an impact.

It’s one of those that got away, and they will be really disappointed because they believed he was coming in.”

Despite missing out on Sallai, Leeds’ overall transfer business is still considered successful, with several players already contributing to the team’s strong start to the season.

The Whites currently sit in fifth place in the Championship, and after narrowly missing out on promotion last year, they are once again seen as serious contenders for a return to the Premier League.

Patrick Bamford, Leeds’ long-serving striker, weighed in on the club’s transfer activity and the state of the squad.

With the second international break of the season now here, Bamford reflected on how Leeds have fared so far, especially in light of the departures of key players over the summer.

Despite some uncertainty at the beginning of the season about which players would stay and who would leave, Bamford believes the club handled the situation well by bringing in quality replacements.

“We went down the play-off route and lost in the final, which was tough,” Bamford said, referencing last season’s near-miss in the push for promotion.

“At the time, we knew this year we had another great chance to do it again, but we also knew we were probably going to lose a lot of our best players.”

However, Bamford noted that the club managed to sort out the squad relatively early in the window and filled the gaps left by departures with strong signings.

“I think we’ve actually brought in some really good players,” he added, expressing confidence in the team’s chances for success this season.

As the season progresses, Leeds will be hoping that their patience with new signings continues to pay off, and that the squad’s strength and depth will push them back into the Premier League.