Leeds star is fast becoming their best bargain since Pablo Hernandez
da bet sport： Leeds United’s transfer spending last summer went somewhat under the radar, particularly compare with fellow promoted side Sunderland.
da jogodeouro： Sunderland’s £162m total very much ended up trumping Leeds’ £98m, with the Black Cats now sitting pretty in the Premier League pile in eighth spot off the back of such a lavish summer.
Daniel Farke’s men will still feel largely pleased with their own activity, though, as the German arguably now has Leeds’ best bargain since Pablo Hernandez at his disposal, as he tries to guide the Whites away from relegation danger.
This is some statement to make, considering Hernandez was purchased for nothing after an initial loan stint, which ultimately led to him becoming a promotion hero in West Yorkshire.
Why Hernandez was a great bargain for Leeds
The Spanish attacking midfielder might well have eventually become synonymous with Marcelo Bielsa’s whirlwind reign at the club, but he was first purchased when Garry Monk still occupied the Elland Road helm.
His first season, on loan from Al Arabi, saw the former number 19 pick up six goals and eight assists as Leeds narrowly missed out on the second-tier playoffs. This would trigger a permanent move on a free transfer, and would ultimately lead to a match made in heaven with Bielsa, come the start of the 2018/19 season.
Across his two seasons in the EFL’s elite division under the iconic ex-Leeds boss, the former-Valencia playmaker would turn into a “silent leader” – as Bielsa once affectionately labelled him – with a jaw-dropping 42 goal contributions mustered up in league action alone.
18 of those would seal Leeds’ triumphant promotion at the close of the 2019/20 campaign, with this unfortunately proving to be the one-time free agent’s peak at Elland Road, as he would only ever amass two assists in the Premier League for his beloved side.
Still, in the words of journalist Phil Hay in 2021, Hernandez is considered “the best signing of the last 20 years” from a Leeds persuasion, and it’s hard to disagree, in an age where money is thrown about recklessly on some notable flops.
That said, at long last, there is a player in Farke’s current ranks who could be deemed the best bargain since the Spaniard’s memorable stay.
Leeds' best bargain since Hernandez
Leeds were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to snap up Hernandez, with 167 career games in La Liga under his belt, before moving to England, showing off a star with some clear pedigree next to his name.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, entering the ranks in the summer on a free transfer, had this same energy attached, with the Sheffield-born centre-forward once valued at the £60m range when powering home goals frequently for Everton. Pundit Tony Cascarino once even labelled the injury-prone striker as being “unplayable” on his day. Safe to say he looks a little bit like that now in Leeds colours.
Before joining up with Farke’s camp, the 6-foot-2 striker had a respectable 57 Premier League strikes to shout about, but with his last few seasons with the Toffees seeing plenty of injury issues come to the surface, and only three league goals coming his way all across last campaign, the plug was pulled on his Goodison Park adventure.
Everton’s loss is now, very clearly, Leeds’ gain, with the 11-time England international already being showered with the same levels of praise Hernandez regularly received in West Yorkshire, as his new manager now even boldly labels him as one of “the league’s best” attackers on his day, which makes the decision to bring in him for nothing look even more like an absurd masterstroke.
DCL’s numbers for Leeds
Stat
DCL
Games played
15
Goals
5
Assists
0
Wage
£100k-per-week
Wage costs over the year
£5.2m
Sourced by Transfermarkt/Capology
Calvert-Lewin is already five goals down wearing Leeds white with the lofty attacker proving to be a vital fox-in-the-box presence for Farke and Co, having now scored across four consecutive league appearances as the Premier League newcomers have picked up one win and two draws.
This red-hot form makes his wage costs of £5.2m over a full year feel like a splurge worth making, with his goalscoring form potentially keeping Leeds up at the first time of asking, undoubtedly making him the best bargain signed off on since Hernandez’s promotion-winning exploits.
Farke will just hope he can remain fit for the rest of the season to come, as he has already become a crucial first-team presence, when he was once viewed as a gamble to bring in.
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