Leeds eyeing up Farke's new Cantwell who "offers that bit of stardust"
Leeds eyeing up Farke's new Cantwell who "offers that bit of stardust"
Leeds United were left disappointed last month as they lost 1-0 to Southampton, thanks to a goal from Adam Armstrong, in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.
The Whites narrowly missed out on automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as they finished third in the division, and still had a chance to finish in the top two going into the final game of the regular season.
They then beat Daniel Farke's former side Norwich City 4-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the play-offs before their loss in the final in the capital.
The Yorkshire-based outfit are now preparing for a second season in the second tier and this means that there will be changes to the playing squad, with players coming in and moving on.
One player who is set to return to Elland Road is attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who is going to be reintegrated into the squad after talks with Farke, having spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.
Despite that, the Whites are reportedly looking into a deal to add another playmaker to their group during the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business on Friday.
Leeds United's interest in Championship magician
According to TEAMtalk, Leeds are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a swoop to sign Coventry City attacking midfielder Callum O'Hare on a free transfer.
The English whiz has turned down the chance to sign a new contract with the club and is now set to become a free agent when his deal expires at the end of this month.
At the age of 26, any team wanting to snap up the talented playmaker would not have to pay any compensation to the Championship outfit, and would only need to worry about wages and a signing-on fee.
The report claims that Southampton, who have just been promoted to the Premier League, and Burnley, who were recently relegated from the top-flight, are also keen on a deal for the former Aston Villa prospect.
TEAMtalk adds that Leeds have been keeping tabs on the Coventry star's situation and that they are now 'ready' to join the race for his services this summer.
The outlet states that the club are looking to bolster their attacking options this summer as Crysencio Summerville has attracted interest from Chelsea, Fulham, Brighton, and Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Wilfried Gnonto is reportedly pushing to seal a permanent exit from Elland Road over the coming months, and would like to return to Italy to play in his home country.
O'Hare could now be brought in to potentially replace one of those key stars or to complement them if the Whites keep hold of Gnonto and Summerville.
The free agent target could also come in and be Farke's new version of Todd Cantwell, who thrived under him in the Championship at Norwich.
Todd Cantwell's Championship brilliance for Farke
The German head coach brought the attacking midfielder through from the academy at Carrow Road and gave him his first run of first-team matches in Norfolk during the 2018/19 season.
Norwich won the Championship that year but Cantwell was largely a bit-part player as he only started 18 games and played 24 in total of their 46 league clashes.
He scored one goal and provided two assists in those 24 matches before going on to rack up six goals and two assists in 30 starts in the Premier League the following year.
The Yellows were then relegated from that top-flight at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and that provided Cantwell with an opportunity to drop down to the second tier and thrive as a key player.
That is exactly what he did as the English forward, who operated down the left flank with a license to drift into central positions as a natural attacking midfielder, caught the eye and Norwich won the Championship title again.
As you can see in the table above, the Canaries academy graduate showcased his ability to score and assist goals, whilst also providing quality on the ball as a passer and a dribbler.
Farke could now find his next version of the right-footed gem, who currently plays for Glasgow Rangers in Scotland, by landing O'Hare ahead of Southampton and Burnley.
Why Callum O'Hare could be Todd Cantwell 2.0
Firstly, the 26-year-old star could play a similar tactical role for the Leeds boss as he is a right-footed attacking midfielder by trade who could be deployed on the left from the start, but with the freedom to come infield to operate in his favoured - central - area of the park.
He could either start on the flank and come inside to cause havoc in the final third if Summerville moves on from Elland Road this summer, or the Coventry ace could simply play in the number ten role from the start.
The Whites target, who EFL presenter Gab Sutton claimed "offers that bit of stardust", also has the quality on the ball to make a Cantwell-like impact at the top end of the pitch.
O'Hare missed 37 matches due to a knee injury during the 2022/23 campaign but had racked up eight goals and 16 assists in the previous two Championship seasons combined.
The 5 foot 9 magician has come back to fitness this term and caught the eye with a return of six goals sand three assists in just 18 league starts.
As you can see in the table above, the mercurial playmaker was efficient in front of goal as he outperformed his xG by roughly two goals in the division.
O'Hare also fired in four goals and one assist in three starts in the FA Cup, which meant that he ended the campaign with ten goals and four assists in 21 starts in all competitions.
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The Whites should bring the impressive central defender back to Elland Road next season.
Therefore, the out-of-contract wizard could come in and be Farke's new Cantwell in an attacking midfield or wide position at Elland Road next season, as he is another versatile English playmaker who can offer quality as a scorer and a creator of goals at Championship level.