Sports
49ers now ‘in talks’ to sign one of the best playmakers in Europe for Leeds
Leeds United are in talks for a new playmaker who has made more key passes than any player in Europe’s top five leagues this season.
Leeds turn to transfer market after win over Fulham
Match-winner Lukas Nmecha said it “felt amazing” after his stoppage-time goal clinched Daniel Farke’s side a 1-0 win at Elland Road against Fulham.
Nmecha, a free summer signing from Wolfsburg, latched on to captain Ethan Ampadu’s cross in the first minute of added time to volley home into the bottom corner.
Leeds halted in-form Fulham’s six-game unbeaten league run to stay eight points clear of the bottom three, securing their sixth league win of the season and fifth at Elland Road.
Nmecha, who stepped off the bench in the 69th minute to take his Premier League goals tally to five this season, said: “It felt amazing. I just got the contact on it. I didn’t see the ball until it was at the back of the net.”
The German-born striker said his last-gasp strike was all the sweeter after Leeds had cruelly lost 1-0 at Fulham in September, courtesy of a 90th-minute own goal by Gabriel Gudmundsson.
Leeds, who remain in 16th place, next play a week on Monday at Everton, giving the club some time to operate in the transfer market, and while attention has largely been on signing a new striker to support Dominic Calvert-Lewin, it appears they are instead focusing on the chance creation behind their red-hot forward.
Dream for Calvert-Lewin: Leeds to reignite move for £50k-per-week “machine”
This Premier League star could help make Leeds more of a threat going forward
Leeds in talks to sign Romano Schmid
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Whites are in negotiations to sign Austria international Romano Schmid, who plays his club football in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen.
Schmid has scored twice and provided five assists in 17 games in the German top flight this season, but his underlying numbers make for even better reading.
Indeed, the attacking midfielder has registered more key passes (a pass which leads directly to a shot) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues this season, and also ranks in the 92nd percentile or higher for shot-creating actions, progressive passes and progressive carries when compared with positional peers in those leagues, as per FBRef.
Leeds have already signed Facundo Buonanotte on loan, but the permanent addition of Schmid, who already boasts 31 caps for Austria at 25 years of age, would set Calvert-Lewin up with a quality supplier of chances for the foreseeable future.
