It is fair to say that Leeds United have spent fairly well without really breaking the bank since the summer transfer window officially opened for business.
Lukas Nmecha arrived as the first signing of the summer on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, whilst central defender Sebastiaan Bornauw was brought in from the same club for a fee of around £5m.
The Whites also spent a reported fee of £10m on Sweden international Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille, whilst their biggest deal of the summer so far has been the £15m that was splashed on centre-back Jaka Bijol from Udinese.
Leeds have yet to really push the boat out to flex the 49ers’ financial muscle, but that may come later in the window as they turn their attention to the attacking areas of the pitch.
Despite putting pen to paper on a new long-term contract at Elland Road on Monday, Dan James is one player who the club could look to find an upgrade on as a starter ahead of the Premier League campaign.
Why Leeds may need to replace Dan James
There is no doubt that the Wales international has a part to play in the squad moving forward. His electric pace on the counter-attack and his ability to play on both flanks makes him a valuable option for Daniel Farke to call upon when needed.
However, his previous exploits in the Premier League, for Leeds and other clubs, do not suggest that he is likely to provide the quality that they need in front of goal to avoid an instant relegation from the division.
James enjoyed a terrific season in the Championship, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists, whilst starting week-in-week-out for Farke in the 2024/25 campaign.
He has played for Leeds, Fulham, and Manchester United in the Premier League in his career before, though, and has failed to put up similar numbers at that level, which does not suggest that the winger is likely to carry his sublime Championship form over to next season.
Appearances
106
Goals
12
Big chances missed
11
Big chances created
16
Assists
13
Best key passes per game rate
0.8
As you can see in the table above, James has averaged a goal contribution every 4.6 games on average in his Premier League career, which shows that the forward has yet to prove that he can consistently deliver in the final third.
His most recent season in the Premier League was particularly disappointing. The Welsh speedster produced two goals and one assist in 24 games on loan at Fulham in the 2022/23 campaign before returning to Elland Road.
Bearing this all in mind, Leeds may want to replace James as a starter before next season gets underway, which may be why the 49ers are considering their biggest deal yet.
Leeds considering swoop for Ligue 1 forward
According to The Boot Room, Leeds United are one of the teams interested in a deal to sign OGC Nice forward Evann Guessand in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Championship champions are weighing up an offer to sign the versatile attacker to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
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It adds that he has been touted at a price tag of £22m by the Ligue 1 side, which would make him the most expensive signing of the 49ers era, since they completed their takeover in the summer of 2023.
Bijol is currently the most expensive signing the 49ers have made, at the aforementioned £15m price tag, but a £22m move for Guessand would blow that out of the water.
The Boot Room adds, though, that Brentford and Sunderland are also keen on the Ivorian attacker, who is open to a move to England, which means that the Whites will need to see off plenty of competition to secure the 49ers’ biggest deal yet.
Why Evann Guessand would be an upgrade on Dan James
Leeds should push to get this big money deal over the line in the coming weeks because he could arrive at Elland Road as a big upgrade on James on the right wing.
Whilst the Ivorian dynamo can play on the left wing and as a centre-forward, the majority of his starts in Ligue 1 during the 2024/25 campaign came on the right flank.
Guessand only scored three goals in 13 starts as a striker in all competitions, but racked up eight goals and six assists in 16 starts on the right wing for Nice, which illustrates what his best position on the pitch is.
The £22m-rated forward ended the season with an impressive return of 12 goals in Ligue 1, whilst James has scored 12 goals in over 100 appearances in the Premier League, and only managed two goals in his most recent season in the English top-flight.
Appearances
33
24
xG
9.18
1.96
Goals
12
2
Minutes per goal
216
405
Key passes per game
1.0
0.4
Big chances created
12
3
xA
5.29
0.77
Assists
8
1
As you can see in the table above, Guessand’s performances last term were significantly more impressive than the Welsh forward’s were for Fulham a couple of years ago.
These statistics, and the broader picture of James’ career in the Premier League, suggest that the Nice attacker would come in as a huge upgrade on the right wing for Farke.
Given what he has shown in a major European league in France, Guessand could provide a greater threat in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator for Leeds, increasing his chances of winning matches and vital points for the team.
He has scored goals and created ‘big chances’ with greater regularlity than the Leeds man at the top level, which suggests that he has a better chance of making an impact on a regular basis in the Premier League next term.
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Whilst there is no guarantee that he will be able to translate his form over from France to England, his impressive statistics suggest that it would be a worthwhile gamble for the 49ers to complete their biggest signing of their tenure by bringing him in for £22m.