Leeds United are yet to make their first signing of the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business earlier this month, as they prepare for a second season in the Championship.
The Whites have the task of building a squad that is capable of going again and competing for automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking.
Daniel Farke’s side fell at the final hurdle last season as they were beaten 1-0 by Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley last month, after they finished third in the table.
The German head coach could have to deal with some of his key players moving away from Elland Road amid speculation over the future of a few stars.
Brighton have reportedly been in contact over a deal to sign Dutch forward Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto is said to be pushing for a move back to Italy this summer.
Farke and his team may have to dip into the market to source replacements for anyone who leaves, whilst also looking to land upgrades on remaining players.
The West Yorkshire side are putting work in on potential new signings, though, as they have now been linked with a move for a player who could arrive on a free transfer.
Leeds make contact to sign English dynamo
According to HITC, the Whites are one of a number of teams interested in a deal to sign Ryan Sessegnon from Tottenham Hotspur when his contract expires.
The former England U21 international is set to leave on a free transfer at the end of the month after Spurs opted against a new deal for the left-footed ace.
HITC reports that Leeds have made contact with the player to check in on his situation ahead of a possible swoop to snap him up on a free transfer.
The report also reveals, however, that they are only one of a host of clubs that have also spoken with his representatives to see what his plans are.
West Ham United, Fulham, Rangers, Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Real Betis, Como, Monza, and Atalanta are all also in the mix to sign the Premier League full-back.
However, it does not state whether or not the player is open to dropping back down to the Championship to play regular games, or if he would prefer to remain in the Premier League or move abroad to one of the top leagues in Spain or Italy, where there is interest in him.
If Leeds can secure a deal to sign Sessegnon on a free this summer then it could be bye-bye Junior Firpo, who may be on his way out of Elland Road.
Why Junior Firpo could leave Leeds
Firstly, the former Barcelona man has one year left to run on his current contract with Leeds and would be allowed to speak with clubs to sign a pre-contract from the start of 2025 onwards.
This means that the Whites would risk losing him on a free transfer next year if they do not agree a contract extension with him before the end of the current window.
Per Capology, the full-back is on £60k-per-week and that places him third in the squad, only behind Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford – both on £70k-per-week.
Real Betis have been linked with an interest in the defender but have been put off by Leeds’ demands so far, although it remains unknown as to what exactly they are.
A move to sign Sessegnon on a free transfer could provide the club with security at left-back and allow them to cash in on Firpo for slightly less than what they are currently demanding, as they would have a replacement already in the building.
They could then recoup a decent fee, whether that is from Real Betis or any other interested party that might come forward, before the end of the window, and avoid the risk of losing him for nothing next year.
Firpo would be a loss for Farke on the pitch, it must be said, as he provided seven assists in 26 league games for the club last season, which means that they would lose his attacking impact from left-back.
Why Leeds should sign Ryan Sessegnon
Leeds should sign Sessegnon to replace the ex-LaLiga man because he has the potential to be a fantastic asset to the Whites down the left flank.
He did not make a single league appearance for Spurs during the 2023/24 campaign, through injury, but did catch the eye in his limited time on the pitch the previous season.
The 24-year-old gem ranked within the top 20% of Premier League full-backs for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.12) and the top 19% for shot-creating actions per 90 (2.55) across 17 outings, which speaks to the attacking quality he can provide.
Whilst that shows his, relatively, recent form, Sessegnon also has an impressive track record in the Championship as he starred in the division in his younger days at Fulham, before his move to North London.
As you can see in the table above, the versatile talent, who played on the left wing and at left-back, provided a huge threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
His exceptional statistics earned him the Championship Player of the Year award for that season, which illustrates the potential quality that Leeds could bring to Elland Road this summer if he can recapture that kind of form.
Sessegnon, who was once dubbed “fantastic” by ex-boss Jose Mourinho, could deliver goals and assists from left-back to make up for Firpo’s attacking contributions, which would then allow the club to wave bye-bye to the £60k-per-week defender.
However, the Englishman has missed 40 matches through injury since the start of last season and that is something that Farke and his team may need to consider before sanctioning a deal, as a thorough medical will be needed to ensure that they can be confident in his potential availability.
