In the dying hours of deadline day, Leeds United signed Isaac Schmidt as their eighth and final summer addition after completing a move for Japan star Ao Tanaka.
Before Schmidt played one more game for St. Gallen and helped his former team qualify for Europe on Thursday night, a deal to acquire the 24-year-old had already been finalized.
With a goal and an assist, Schmidt helped the Swiss team advance to the Conference League group stages as St. Gallen defeated Trabzonspor, a Turkish SuperLig team, on penalties.
Schmidt arrived in Yorkshire early in the afternoon, finished his physical at Leeds, and signed on the dotted line shortly after 8.30pm on the day of the deadline, which was less than three hours in advance.
A Leeds video captures Schmidt’s response as he leaves Elland Road.
The full-back joins for an initial £2.5 million, but if certain conditions are met, a move could result in St. Gallen receiving a £4.6 million fee overall. They probably depend on Leeds’s performance and if they get promoted.
A video of the behind-the-scenes action on deadline day was released by LUTV. The footage showed Tanaka signing the night before, followed by Schmidt’s deal and Wilfried Gnonto signing a new contract with Leeds.
At 8:45 in the 13-minute video, Schmidt is seen entering the pitch from the Leeds tunnel and saying, “Damn,” before offering a succinct four-word assessment on Elland Road. Whoah. It’s lovely.
In the home dressing room, Schmidt also responded to the new Leeds uniform.
The new signing also enters the home dressing room in a film that shows Gnonto and Schmidt reconnecting after their encounter in the Swiss Super League and Gnonto giving Schmidt his new no. 33 shirt.
After giving the squad shirts that are currently hanging in the changing room a serious examination, Schmidt double-checks and points to Ethan Ampadu’s number four shirt before inquiring as to whether the Wales player is the team captain.
On the most recent episode of LUTV (8.30), he then gives his assessment of the Leeds home jersey, stating that “the jersey is really beautiful.” On September 14, Schmidt hopes to participate in the match against Burnley.
