There is a big task ahead for Daniel Farke and the recruitment team at Leeds United after the 2024/25 season ended with promotion to the Premier League.
The Whites lifted the Championship trophy at Home Park after they beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 on the final day of the campaign, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Manor Solomon.
They ended the season with a staggering 100 points on the board, beating Burnley to the title on goal difference, and can now prepare to play in the top-flight next term.
The three newly-promoted clubs have all been relegated from the Premier League in each of the last two seasons, which paints a picture of how difficult it is going to be for Leeds, and Burnley, next term.
They will need to nail their recruitment to build a squad that is capable of following in the footsteps of the six teams that have fallen before them, which makes the summer transfer window absolutely vital.
Leeds need to land top-quality players who can come in to make an instant impact in the first-team, as they did when they once splashed the cash on Rio Ferdinand.
Why Rio Ferdinand was a great signing for Leeds
Back in November 2000, the Whites swooped to sign the England international from West Ham United for a reported fee of £18m, which was a British record fee at the time.
Although Ferdinand was only 22 at the time of the move, Leeds knew that they were signing a quality operator at the heart of the defence because he had already played 155 times for the Hammers in their first-team.
The English colossus made 32 appearances in all competitions during his first season at Elland Road, including seven in the Champions League, before he hit his stride in his second year in West Yorkshire.
Ferdinand went on to play 41 times in all competitions in the 2001/02 campaign and was named in the PFA Team of the Year in the Premier League for his performances at centre-back, which speaks to how impressive his displays were.
His form for Leeds in those two seasons led to interest from elsewhere, and Manchester United swooped in to sign him for a British record £30m in the summer of 2002.
This shows that the defender was a great signing for Leeds because he was one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League in his second season, as shown by his inclusion in the Team of the Year, and they made a substantial profit on him within two years of his arrival.
Leeds could, now, find their next version of Rio Ferdinand by moving to sign a new central defender this summer, amid reported interest in a Ligue 1 star.
Leeds eyeing move for Ligue 1 star
According to The Sun on Sunday’s print edition (4 May, page 55), as relayed by MOTLeedsNews, Leeds have sent scouts to watch Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi in action this season.
The report claims that the West Yorkshire outfit have made the centre-back one of their top targets heading into the summer transfer window, following their promotion to the Premier League.
It states that Marseille are looking for a fee in the region of £20m for the 26-year-old defender, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites are willing to pay that much money for him.
The outlet also reveals that the Argentina international, who currently plays under Roberto De Zerbi in France, would be interested in a move to England, which should come as a boost to Leeds in their pursuit of the £20m-rated star.
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It is now down to Leeds to enter talks with Marseille, if they decide to press ahead with their interest in the Argentine ace, to wrap up a deal for Balerdi before any other teams enter the race for his signature.
If the Whites can get a move over the line for the Ligue 1 colossus in the summer transfer window, the right-footed titan could be Rio Ferdinand 2.0 for the club.
Why Balerdi could be the next Ferdinand for Leeds
As aforementioned, part of what made Ferdinand such a great signing for Leeds was that he was already an experienced player at the top level who could slot straight into the side.
Balerdi has played 161 times for Marseille, 124 times in Ligue 1, and has been capped six times by Argentina at international level, which shows that he has plenty of experience at the top level.
This means that Leeds would not be signing a young player with little experience in Europe’s major leagues and taking a big gamble on a promising gem, they would be signing a star who is ready to make an instant impact in the Premier League.
Balerdi’s performances in Ligue 1 for Marseille this season suggest that he could come in as an instant upgrade on Joe Rodon, despite the Welsh star’s solid showings in the Championship.
Appearances
24
46
Tackles per game
2.0
0.9
Interceptions per game
1.3
0.6
Duels won per game
5.0
4.4
Aerial duel success rate
65%
60%
Ball recoveries per game
6.1
4.0
As you can see in the table above, the Argentina international has made more defensive actions – recoveries, tackles, duels won, interceptions – per game than Rodon has on average, whilst also being more dominant in the air.
These statistics suggest that he could make an instant impact at Elland Road because he has already outperformed the Wales international at a higher level, which suggests that he could be an upgrade on him.
In March, De Zerbi described him as an “extraordinary” player and hoped that “big European teams” forgot about him in the summer transfer window.
This suggests that Leeds would also be signing a player who could be on the radar of ‘big’ European sides in the future, which could see him sold on for a profit further down the line if he is a success in the Premier League.
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Balerdi could, therefore, arrive as Ferdinand 2.0 as a proven top-level centre-back who could hit the ground running before being sold to a huge club in the future for a profit on the £20m that could be spent on his services this summer.