Leeds United are a club on the up once again under the guidance of boss Daniel Farke, looking like a dangerous force to be reckoned with in the Championship.
The German was tasked with stabilising the ship after relegation at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, all whilst losing numerous members of their first-team squad.
His experience in England’s second tier is vital, previously winning the title twice with Norwich City, before narrowly missing out on promotion after losing to Southampton at Wembley last season.
However, with clever investment over the off-season, his side have returned with a point to prove, sitting top of the table after Tuesday night’s emphatic victory over Middlesbrough at Elland Road.
It’s safe to say he’s had nowhere near the budget of former managers in Yorkshire after their relegation, including Jesse Marsch, who had a huge chunk to work with after two big-money departures in the summer of 2022.
Leeds’ transfer window in the summer of 2022
After fending off relegation for the second time after promotion, the summer of 2022 was always going to be a massive window for the Whites if they were to secure their top-flight status once again.
However, the departures of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips to Barcelona and Manchester City respectively would make such a task even harder for American boss Marsch.
The deals raised the club around £100m alone, most of which was reinvested into the first-team squad to try and combat the losses in key areas.
Luis Sinisterra was the player brought in to replace the Brazilian, costing a fee in the region of £21m with hopes of filling the boots of the fan-favourite – but was only able to score eight times during his one-year at Elland Road.
Marc Roca was also signed from Bayern Munich during the same window for £10m – with the pair just two of seven summer additions during the aforementioned window.
However, the pair weren’t the players to arrive at the club that summer, with one other joining the Whites with high hopes of being a hit in the Premier League.
The Leeds player who Marsch thought was 'very important'
After Marsch’s appointment following the departure of hugely popular boss Marcelo Bielsa, there was an influx of American additions arriving to feature under their compatriot.
Brendan Aaronson and Weston McKennie were just two who followed the 51-year-old to the club trying to build on their survival the season prior.
Tyler Adams was arguably the most exciting, joining from RB Leipzig, brought in as a replacement for Phillips – giving supporters a reason to be excited despite the loss of the academy star.
The midfielder was dubbed “very important” by Marsch upon his arrival, something which would be evident during his time as a player at Elland Road.
“For me, Tyler Adams has been one of the best players on the pitch every game we played. I’m not surprised to see him deliver like that. I think he’s had a great season, it was tough not having him last week. He’s very important to our team.”
Adams would make 28 appearances during his only season in Yorkshire, leaving at the end of 2022/23 after the club’s relegation back to the second tier.
He moved to Bournemouth for £23m in a deal that would be a phenomenal one for the club, especially considering his lack of form after departing the Whites nearly 18 months ago.
The 25-year-old has been constantly plagued by various injury problems, restricting him from having any further impact for the Cherries in the Premier League after his big-money transfer.
12/03/2023
28/09/2023
6 months, 16 days
Thigh
05/10/2023
09/03/2024
5 months, 4 days
Thigh
07/04/2024
10/05/2024
1 month, 3 days
Knock
19/07/2024
18/10/2024
2 months, 29 days
Back
During his time on the south coast, Adams has only featured for 463 minutes in England’s top flight – costing Andoni Iraola’s side £50k per minute he’s played for them since his transfer.
Given the nature of the fee and his lack of impact after his move, Leeds undoubtedly made the right decision, cashing in on the midfielder whilst his stock was at its highest.
There’s no denying that he’s a hugely talented player, but his injury setbacks have prevented his growth – with the Whites certainly losing money on their investment had they kept hold of the former Leipzig star.
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