Angus Kinnear may have a master plan in mind as a new £6 million transfer update is released at Leeds United.
The Whites’ CEO looks dumb at Elland Road right now after deciding not to recruit Alvyn Sanches from FC Lausanne-Sport this summer.
Sanches was suggested as a prospective replacement for Georginio Rutter, with a £3 million asking price, however the trade was never completed [Daily Express].
That choice has not gone well for the West Yorkshire-based club, as the 21-year-old has 11 goals in 20 games across all competitions for Lausanne-Sport while they look for a new number ten.
Kinnear, for one, is resolved to prevent such blunders in the future, and an opportunity has presented itself.
Leeds United is interested in Dario Essugo.
On Sunday morning (15 December), it was revealed that Leeds are rekindling their interest in Dario Essugo, who is currently on loan at Las Palmas from Sporting CP.
The Whites are considering how to persuade Sporting to call him back from Spain and arrange a transfer agreement with them during the January transfer window [Alan Nixon].
Kinnear‘s team is willing to propose a loan-to-buy agreement, but the Primeira Liga giants want the purchase to be guaranteed at roughly £6 million regardless of whether they win promotion to the Premier League.
The fact that the Championship club has renewed their interest in Essugo after missing out on him in the summer demonstrates that Elland Road data nerds and scouts value him highly.
Essugo is a comprehensive product.
That does not come as a surprise.
Essugo made his senior debut for Sporting as a 16-year-old against Vitoria de Guimaraes in March 2021, becoming the club’s youngest debutant ever.
Although the midfielder is now on loan in Spain, it is only a matter of time before he establishes himself in Lisbon and then sells for a large fee, like Manuel Ugarte and Matheus Nunes have done in the past.
The 19-year-old is predominantly a defensive midfielder, but he possesses all of the qualities necessary of a combative box-to-box player.
One particular moment on his debut for Las Palmas versus Osasuna exemplifies his ability.
After winning the ball on the edge of his own box, the teenager sprints forward and runs half of the pitch while fending off a challenger.
He then plays a perfectly weighted pass into the direction of a teammate, who fails to capitalize on the resultant one-on-one position.
In a single sequence, Essugo demonstrated his reading of the game, pace, strength, and vision.
The Portugal Under-21s are not frequent goal scorers, but they do have a sting in their shots, as evidenced by the preceding incident in the same game.
Leeds must not hesitate with the Essugo transfer.
If the eye test is insufficient, Essugo’s numbers provide additional support.
Based on his 12 appearances for Las Palmas this season, the midfielder has made 2.32 interceptions per 90 minutes, ranking in the 99th percentile among other midfielders. (FBRef).
Similarly, he averages 2.65 clearances per 90 minutes, placing him in the 95th percentile.
Although not among the greatest, Essugo excels at carrying the ball into the final third. His 1.32 carries into the final third per 90 is slightly lower than the position average.
Overall, the teenager has a lot to give, making him an ideal match for a high-intensity, pressing team like the one Daniel Farke has assembled at Elland Road.
While Leeds may be hesitant to pay £6 million for Essugo, they might profit handsomely from his transfer in the future as he appears to be on his way to the top.
If the Whites pass up this opportunity, it would not be surprising if Sporting sold for a large sum of money a few years later, as they did in the past.
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