According to the Express and Star, Leeds United are interested in signing West Brom winger Grady Diangana.
According to the publication (1 August), The Whites will face competition from Premier League side Burnley and Saudi Arabian clubs, as well as recently relegated Leicester City.
Diangana is thought to be worth £7 million to West Brom, who are trying to improve their funds through player sales after signing him from West Ham in a £18 million deal in 2020.
A risk
Diangana has struggled at West Brom since making his loan from West Ham permanent in 2020. He has never surpassed his eight-goal total from his rookie season and has not been the attacking force that many Baggies fans had hoped for.
Despite his disappointing form in recent seasons, clubs see potential in the 25-year-old, who could be eager to restart his promising career away from the Hawthorns.
While the Baggies need to sell, manager Carlos Corberan has already urged Diangana to regain his form. He told BirminghamLive (19 January) that Diangana is a “special” player who can make a difference in a game.
While Diangana is not a prolific scorer these days, his statistics show why he could be a solid Farke signing at Leeds United. His 5.42 progressive passes per 90 (81st percentile) [FBRef] demonstrates his importance in assisting his teammates during offensive moves.
Diangana is also a strong defender, frequently cutting off opposing attacks to spark counterattacks. His ability in this area could be vital in Farke‘s system, as he has 1.89 tackles per 90 (84th percentile) and 2.22 blocks per 90 (99th percentile).
His enthusiasm keeps him occupied all over the pitch, and Farke may use it to help him reach his full potential.
Farke will look for players who are comfortable passing and linking up play but are also devoted enough to the team’s attempts to track back and defend when necessary. Diangana checks all of these boxes, and at £7 million, he could be worth a shot.
However, goalscoring is definitely a weakness, and if Leeds are to accomplish their top short-term goal of quick promotion back to the Premier League, they will need to score a lot of goals next season.
West Brom appear open to a deal, and while it is a risk for Leeds given his recent results, Diangana should take advantage of this opportunity.
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