Farke targeting Leeds swoop for "outstanding" 3k-p/w Championship star
Farke targeting Leeds swoop for "outstanding" 3k-p/w Championship star
Leeds United are currently preparing for a second straight season in the Championship after they fell short of achieving promotion this season. The Whites made it all the way to the play-off final at Wembley last month only to lose 1-0 to Southampton, thanks to a first-half goal from Adam Armstrong.
Daniel Farke and his team must now navigate the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business on Friday, to end it with a squad that is capable of fighting for promotion once again.
It has already been reported that the Yorkshire-based outfit are unlikely to bring Connor Roberts back from Burnley however, as the recently relegated side may not want to strengthen a rival, whilst Alfie Gilchrist from Chelsea has been linked as a target in that position as well.
Leeds United's interest in Championship star
According to Leeds Live, the Whites are eyeing up a possible swoop to sign Sunderland right-back Trai Hume, as Farke seemingly targets a deal for the defender. The report claims that the Northern Ireland international is a transfer target for the club this summer as they look to bolster their defensive options ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Central midfielder Archie Gray spent the majority of this season deputising at right-back and could move back to his preferred position if Leeds can strike a deal for Hume, or another full-back, over the coming weeks or months.
LeedsLive add that they are set to fight multiple Premier League sides to land the Black Cats star, who has attracted attention from a host of clubs with his performances in the Championship.
The outlet names Leicester City, Aston Villa and Bournemouth as three of the other English teams eyeing him up, alongside Italian outfit Napoli.
This suggests that there is plenty of competition to land his signature before the end of the summer transfer window, whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Sunderland are prepared to cash in on him.
Why Hume could be a good Roberts alternative
With a second deal for Roberts reportedly being unlikely, Hume could be snapped up as a fantastic alternative to the Wales international ahead of next season. The £3k-per-week defender, who was once described as "outstanding" by journalist Josh Bunting, is a proven Championship performer who could come in and hit the ground running at Elland Road.
Roberts only started two league games for Leeds during the second half of this term but did feature regularly in the division for Burnley during the 2022/23 campaign as they won the title.
As you can see in the table above, Hume's displays on the pitch for the Black Cats this season were more impressive than the Welsh ace's were for the Clarets in their title-winning year. Despite ending with five fewer assists, the Northern Irish whiz created four more 'big chances' for his teammates, whilst winning possession back through tackles and interceptions significantly more frequently.
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The Whites are reportedly keen on a deal to sign the South American star this summer.
Therefore, the potential is there for the 22-year-old ace to be a fantastic alternative to Roberts due to the quality he could provide at both ends of the pitch.