The Whites could be set to secure their very own Ilkay Gundogan by signing this midfield maestro.
That being said, some positivity does remain, with TEAMtalk now offering a beacon of hope by referencing them as one of the interested parties
looking at Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill.
They are said to be very keen on the 27-year-old gem, who FootballTransfers value at €10.9m (£9m). However, they will have to battle with a host of
top-flight clubs to secure his signature.
How good is Josh Brownhill?
Having spent the last few years of his career at Turf Moor, it feels like only recently has the midfield general began realising his potential after spells
at Preston North End and Bristol City
After all, last season did mark a standout one for the one-time Manchester United academy graduate, who shone by showcasing his improved
creativity.
Clarets boss Vincent Kompany is the man responsible for such an upturn, as he was thanked by the midfielder:
“He’s liberated us, because he believes in us, he believes we’re good players and we can win games. The lads who are still here were devastated by
relegation last season. We just wanted to get back up and I’m very happy we did.”
A key cog in that promotion push, already that pedigree will have caught Farke’s eye, as he seeks to replicate that form.
Should Brownhill join and translate his form from Lancashire to west Yorkshire and they will certainly be in a fine position to do so.
After all, the Warrington-born machine did score seven times in the Championship during the 2022/23 campaign alongside a further eight assists.
This helped him earn his 7.27 average rating as he also added 1.8 key passes and 2.2 tackles per game, via Sofascore.
Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Lee Hendrie had predicted such a starring year as he claimed back in 2021:
“Josh Brownhill, I think he is a fabulous player, I really do. Out of [Sander] Berge and him, I’d take Brownhill all day just because Josh Brownhill
reminds me of John McGinn.
“He’s very energetic, he’s very neat and tidy on the ball, he gets up and down the pitch well and you know what you’re getting when you’re getting a
player from Burnley, Sean Dyche, what he expects.”
Such offensive impetus from deep could easily draw comparisons with Ilkay Gundogan, who too earned praise for how his scoring numbers improved
to help Manchester City claim a historic treble.
Whilst the German has already made his switch to Barcelona, he left the Etihad a hero, having posted 18 goal contributions across all competitions.
Then, to compare his underlying figures with Brownhill’s, it is clear to see the similarities. He too posted a 7.13 average rating in the Premier League,
buoyed by 1.3 key passes and one tackle per game, via Sofascore.
City boss Pep Guardiola led the praise for his midfielder and captain, noting:
“Ilkay shows again, again and again his quality and his importance. His commitment to all of us at the club. It’s not just scoring goals, he has his
momentum because against Leeds, he was the player and again here. He can do everything.”
Whilst he starred on a far larger stage, Brownhill shares enough of those starring attributes to suggest he could emulate his figures once again under
Farke and help spearhead another promotion charge.
READ NEXT:
Leeds: £20m star could ease Jack Harrison’s exit
The Whites could offset their numerous outgoings with one star signing.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Leeds could offset their mass exodus in attacking areas by turning to an EFL star.
- He could cost £20m and boasts a fine goal record at that level.
- It would soften the blow of losing Jack Harrison recently.
Leeds United have seen a once-promising summer dragged into disrepute, and Daniel Farke’s job has now been made a whole lot harder by the
continued failures of the past…
Who has left Leeds United this summer?
It seems that the overconfidence that the previous regime held with regard to the club’s ability to avoid relegation has finally come back to bite them,
as last season saw them fall to Premier League relegation after narrowly avoiding such an eventuality the year prior.
At first, the hope was that many of those stars involved in such a failure would stick around, seeking to help dig the club out of the hole they put them
in. This has been far from the case.
No less than six of their starters have departed on loan, including Max Wober, Jack Harrison, Robin Koch, Marc Roca, Brenden Aaronson and
Rasmus Kristensen, something that has left many fans furious. The Whites must stop this rut with a few acquisitions of their own, or else watch a
fanbase who deserve so much more see their frustrations boil over.
Fortunately, pundit Carlton Palmer told Football League World about one player they could sign to offset the mass exodus: “Leeds have a genuine
interest in Swansea striker Joel Piroe. They need to bring a striker in, but Swansea do not want to sell and with interest from other clubs, Swansea are
asking for a £20m price.
“Bamford has still not featured this season and this is a worry as he was injury-plagued last season, they need reinforcements in the attacking part of
the pitch and it’s not going to be cheap. In Piroe, they have a Championship proven scorer if they could get him.”
How good is Joel Piroe?
Perhaps the only way to convince these top players to remain at Elland Road is to give them an incentive, with a swift return to the top flight arguably
the biggest available to them.
Acquisitions such as Ethan Ampadu and Karl Darlow offer instant experience at a level above theirs, whilst the Dutchman in question has already
shown his quality in the Championship to suggest he too is ready for a step up.
After all, having only left his homeland two years ago, both of his seasons in Wales have been exceptional ones.
The opening term saw the 24-year-old record 24 goals and assist a further six, almost emulating those figures the year after with another 20 strikes
during the 2022/23 campaign.
Such form understandably drew praise, with writer and podcaster Benjamin Bloom leading it: “PROLIFIC PIROE,” he began. “When he joined
Swansea in 2021 from PSV, Joel Piroe was something of an unknown quantity. However, he took to the Championship like a duck to water and is
now coming to the end of a second brilliant season”.
Considering that the departures have largely been attacking players too, with Rodrigo, Harrison and Aaronson all departing, plus the fact that
Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra are both absent too, and their firepower has been severely diminished over the course of just one window.
Their former Spaniard was their top scorer in the Premier League most recently and left for just £3m. Among that list too were the 12 league goal
contributions of Harrison and the eight goal contributions notched by Gnonto across all senior competitions in England. Whilst not standalone
outstanding numbers, their cumulative exit could prove catastrophic.
Leeds are now in desperate need of a fresh front line, both to prevent any more enforced exits and actually begin the rebuild.
There are arguably few better options on the market at present than Piroe, who Farke must act quickly to secure.
Leave a Reply