One area Leeds United’s recruitment team will be looking to improve this summer is the use of the Premier League loan market.
Across last summer and the January window, Leeds brought in four players on loan from top-flight sides, and it would be fair to say only one of them really worked, in Joe Rodon.
Rodon joined on a season-long-loan from Tottenham in August, establishing himself as a rock at the back as Leeds boasted the second best defensive record in the division. They are now keen to sign him permanently, as difficult as that might be.
Djed Spence was the next to come through the door on loan as he followed Rodon from Spurs, but due to reported issues with lateness that was terminated in January. Connor Roberts came in to replace him, but started just twice and has returned to Burnley.
Jaidon Anthony was the other, as he moved to Elland Road as part of the deal that took Luis Sinisterra to Bournemouth. Again, he made just two league starts, and won’t be returning next season.
With that in mind, hopefully Leeds can find more success with that strategy this summer and after links to Chelsea’s Alfie Gilchrist, here are three more Premier League players LeedsUnited.Newsthink the club should target.
Carl Rushworth – Brighton
Goalkeeper should be a position Leeds finally look to upgrade on this summer, with Illan Meslier once again proving a little too unreliable over the course of the season.
Though he was certainly better than in Leeds’ relegation campaign, Meslier was statistically one of the worst in the Championship at preventing goals this term. His distribution also continues to be an issue.
Given his age, and that he cost only £5 million, Meslier is certainly someone they could make profit on, while also finding an upgrade without having to fork out on a big fee.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carl Rushworth is certainly someone who fits that bill, having just enjoyed a stellar campaign on loan at Swansea City.
As per Fot Mob, only three players had a better goals prevented tally than him in the Championship last season, with four. Meslier, in comparison, was at -4.5.
Rushworth remains behind Bart Verbruggen and Jason Steele in the pecking order at Brighton, and so could be available on loan again.
If he is, Leeds need to be all over it, while also looking to insert a future buy clause given his potential at just 22.
Andrew Omobamidele – Nottingham Forest
Centre-back is also a position that could see wholesale changed this summer, with Liam Cooper set to leave, Charlie Cresswell likely to be in search of more game time, and Rodon not certain to joining permanently.
Leeds were without Pascal Struijk for the entirety of the second half of the season but Farke clearly felt he didn’t have a backup that was up to the required level, as Ethan Ampadu moved from midfield into the back four.
Ampadu‘s best position is very much in the middle of the park, though, and so Leeds need to go in search of at least two top centre-backs this summer and Nottingham Forest’s Andrew Omobamidele would be ideal.
Omobamidele joined Forest from Norwich last summer for a fee that could eventually rise to £20 million, but he was not given the required game time in his debut campaign.
He started just eight of Forest’s 38 league matches and although all of those did come under Nuno Espirito Santo after Steve Cooper’s exit, he didn’t start any of the last five.
At 21, Omobamidele is at an age where he needs to be playing regularly and being in the Championship, Leeds could be a place that provides that.
Cameron Archer – Aston Villa
Leeds’ striking options are in need of a revamp this summer with it time Patrick Bamford is moved on after six years at Elland Road.
For the third successive season, Bamford was unavailable for the business end of the season due to injury and although not necessarily his fault, he is now too unreliable.
There have been reports Bamford could be sold this summer and if that was to happen, Cameron Archer is someone Leeds should be looking at.
As part of the deal that took him to Sheffield United last year, Archer will be returning to Villa permanently again after the Blades’ relegation back to the Championship. It is hard to see him getting ahead of either Ollie Watkins or Jhon Duran.
He scored just four goals in 30 Premier League appearances for Sheffield United and so clubs at that level may now be more reluctant to take a punt on that goal scoring record.
However, Archer has a proven track record at this level following loan spells at Preston North End and Middlesbrough, and a loan move back to the Championship could be what he needs to get his career back on track.
Having both Archer and Mateo Joseph as Farke‘s two options to lead the line would be fantastic depth. He was also a player Leeds actually wanted last summer before they brought in Joel Piroe.