Leeds United missed Harry Wilson and couldn’t get what they wanted from the deadline, but the newly promoted side’s transfer period was a huge success.
Some supporters may not want to hear that now, but the recruitment team and board worked well to strengthen Daniel Fark’s defense and midfield options.
Lucas Peri, Gabriel Gudmundson, Jaca Bjoll, Sebasciaan Bornault and James Justin arrived to improve their defense, while Sean Longstaff and Anton Stuck were signed to add to the team’s midfield.
Supporters have already seen why the club is willing to spend around £17 million to bring Stouch to the club after an impressive start in the Premier League for whites.
The towering German midfielder was excellent, as shown in the statistics in the post above, in his debut in a 1-0 victory at Everton last month.
Stach and Longstaff coming through the gates of Thorp Arch meant that former star Kalvin Phillips were not elevated on the Elland Road agenda.
Why did Leeds not sign Calvin Phillips?
Instead of quickly targeting the deal to bring England International back to the club upon promotion, Leeds decided to rush the aforementioned alternative target to improve Fark’s side.
In the final days of the window, journalist Graeme Bailey noted that the Championship champions were watching over Phillips and that he could once again make it to West Yorkshire if Manchester City tore his contract to make him a free agent.
But the city didn’t do that, and the central midfielder stayed in Etihad after the deadline was over, despite not being part of Pep Guardiola’s plan.
Phillips won a £42 million move to Manchester City in the summer of 2022 after making an impression in the Premier League with Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds, as shown in the clip above.
Unfortunately, the midfield star only started twice of his 12 Premier League appearances for City in Manchester, his first season in Sofa Scole.
Philips (Premier League) | 23/24 | 24/25 |
|---|---|---|
exterior | 12 | 19 |
start | 3 | 14 |
the goal | 0 | 0 |
assist | 0 | 0 |
Dueling success rate | 48% | 43% |
Error led to a shot or goal | 1 | 2 |
Penalty committed | 1 | 0 |
Red card | 1 | 1 |
Statistics via Sofascore | ||
As you can see in the table above, Phillips was sent off twice, making four errors that led to an opposition shot, goal or penalty in the final 17 start.
His market value has fallen off the cliff in recent seasons as a result of its poor form since leaving Leeds. TransferMarkt is now well below the £42 million fee that Manchester City agreed to sign him in 2022.
Therefore, Leeds tried not to pursue much reunion with the 29-year-old DUD, as he is not the same player he once was on Elland Road.
Despite once sold for £42 million, there are many players within the current team worth more than Phillips, including central defender Pascal Struijk.
Leeds hit a jackpot with Pascal Stroeke
The whites plummeted to sign the Dutch defender from Ajax on a free transfer in January 2018 as his contract with the Eredivisi Giants was expected to expire later that year and initially linked with the U21.
However, he only played seven times for the academy, but was quickly tracked by the first team by Bielsa in the 2019/20 season, playing five times in the championship. That led to him being valued at £650K in 2020, per Transfarmartt
Struijk then played 85 times in the Leeds Premier League in three seasons under Bielsa, Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Aradies before the team was demoted in 2023.
The Dutch defender really hit his way through the final two seasons of the white championship. He missed the second half of the 2023/24 campaign due to injury and was unable to help his side in the playoff final against Southampton.
Struijk had his best season at Elland Road in the season that won the 2024/25 title, but reached 100 points in 35 of the club’s 46 league matches.
24/25 League | Struijk about 90 | Rank vs CBS |
|---|---|---|
Shot creation action | 1.34 | Top 16% |
The path that was attempted | 85.57 | Top 1% |
Accuracy | 90.1% | Top 4% |
Progressive Pass | 6.15 | Top 1% |
Progressive Carry | 1.18 | Top 8% |
Move to the last third | 6.92 | Top 1% |
Statistics via FBREF | ||
As you can see from the table above, the left footed star was sensational for Fark’s team in the Sensession, with the ability to play the ball at exceptional speed at his feet.
However, promotion to the Premier League places more emphasis on his defensive skills. He has so far faced the task, earning 75% of his ground duels, helping Leeds hold two clean sheets in the first three matches per sofa score.
His performance at the championship last season was a major contribution to his market value, rising to a whopping £15.6 million per TransferMarkt.
This also means that his market value has skyrocketed by an astounding 2,400% from the £650k, which he was valued retroactively in 2020.
Therefore, Leeds hit the jackpot when they moved in 2018 to sign Struick from Ajax, as the Dutch Titans grew into Fark’s important first team player, worth even more than the star that once sold for £42 million at the club.
