Leeds United were minutes away from an important away win against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Unfortunately, Tammy Abraham spoiled Leeds’ Premier League trip to Villa Park by scoring his first league comeback against Unai Emery’s side with two minutes left on the clock.
But in the grand scheme of things, Daniel Farke’s side should be content with sharing the points, with Villa still in contention for the title at the top of the division.
What’s more, the point means Leeds remain comfortably above the drop zone with a six-point buffer between them and West Ham United, as Anton Stach continues to endear himself to the West Yorkshire public with his increasingly bold attacks hitting home.
Why Stutch was an impressive signing for Leeds
Incredibly, Stacchi’s sublime shot, which misfooted Emiliano Martinez, was the third time this season the fearless German has scored an incredible free-kick, having scored from similar situations against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace.
While this is an incredible weapon for Falke, Statch’s play is far more diverse than just stealing headlines by doing the unthinkable from a distance.
Indeed, as well as scoring four goals and three assists in the Premier League, Stacchi has averaged 4.2 ball recoveries and won 4.9 duels per league match this season as an energetic and busy body from the center of the park.
This was clear for all to see against Villa, as the lively No. 18 won two duels and collected two vital passes as he attempted to unravel the home team’s defence.
Leeds spent a hefty £17.4 million to bring the former Hoffenheim midfielder to England, and their extravagant summer spending was immediately vindicated by how quickly Statch was able to integrate into Falke’s system.
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However, he is not the only summer recruit who has made an impression.
Summer signing worth more than Leeds’ touch
Surprisingly, despite impressing so much early in his career at Elland Road, Stutch’s transfer fee remains at around £15 million, according to Football Transfers.
On the contrary, Xhaka Bihor’s value has only increased since he was traded to Udinese for a chance at Premier League glory in West Yorkshire, with the Slovenian emerging as a shrewd businessman when he arrived for £15m.
The powerful 27-year-old always stands out when it matters most, and his powerful header against Chelsea in early December was a very impressive start to the winter for the 6ft 3in defender.
In fact, Bujol also recorded an assist against Crystal Palace at the end of the bumper month, and won a total of eight games and secured two hard-fought draws against Liverpool and Manchester United in January, making him a favorite for a £15m signing. Such performances have drawn praise from many, including former Premier League scout Mick Brown, who praised the centre-back as “fantastic”.
Bijol’s Leeds figures | |
|---|---|
games played | 16 |
Number of points | 1 |
assist | 2 |
clean sheet | 1 |
Value at the time of joining | £15 million |
Cherish the present | £19m |
increase in value | 4 million pounds |
The prestigious number 15 did not start against Villa as manager Farke opted for James Justin instead, but that has not detracted from his sublime career at Leeds to date, with Football Transfers now estimating that Biyor is worth around £19m, even more than the impressive Stuch.
His dominant performances for a relegation-threatened side have not gone unnoticed by the wider football world, with Arne Slott’s Liverpool reportedly considering the Slovenian as a defensive option next season as they look to rebuild at the back.
But for now, Leeds can only hope to continue to get the best out of the former Udinese beast, with both Bijoor and Stach set to become even more firm fan favorites if they survive.
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