Leeds United’s summer pursuit of Rodrigo De Paul ultimately ended in disappointment as the Argentine international remained with Serie A side Udinese.
Marcelo Bielsa hoped to add an experienced, creative central midfielder to his group prior to the transfer window closing, but proved unable to do so. He did however secure the signings of two centre-backs, a versatile forward and a winger who can play on both flanks, which goes some way to softening the blow.
The addition of Rodrigo Moreno has been a welcome one, as the pliable 29-year-old has been tasked with a variety of different roles so far. It appears as though Bielsa will continue to utilise the Spaniard in a central midfield berth, as the most attacking player in the middle of the park.
However, if Patrick Bamford endures a patchy run of form, Rodrigo may be called upon to usurp the Englishman in attack. That would mean Leeds could find themselves understaffed in midfield, and a January addition to ease Bielsa’s worries over squad depth in that position, could be in the offing.
LeedsLive explores three ball-progressing midfielders who could excel in a No. 8 role at Elland Road:
Rodrigo De Paul – Udinese
Leeds’ interest in De Paul has not gone away, and the start the 26-year-old has made to his fifth consecutive season in Serie A will only entice Bielsa and Victor Orta further.
According to FBRef and Statsbomb data, De Paul has progressed the ball more yards, created more open play shots and registered higher Expected Assists (xA) figures than 97% of the central midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues since the beginning of last season. His ball-carrying influence is close to being unmatched and would certainly add another dimension to Leeds’ style which is heavily focused on vertical passages of play, constantly moving the ball forwards.
De Paul’s ability to create these dribbling opportunities for himself, and provide shooting chances from central areas for his teammates would be a valuable asset to Leeds. Primarily, United’s attacks originate down the flanks, and when the imperious Pablo Hernández is missing from the starting line-up, Leeds suffer in the creative department through central areas. De Paul would certainly go some way to rectifying – and potentially even bettering – that.
Romain Faivre – Stade Brest 29
France has historically been a happy hunting ground for Premier League clubs, Leeds United included. Illan Meslier was poached from Lorient on a permanent deal this summer, while Raphinha was signed from Stade Rennais, and the club could re-enter the French market for their ball-progressing midfielder.
Brest’s Romain Faivre has broken onto the scene with the Ligue 1 club this season, signed for a mere €400,000, according to Transfermarkt, from the much more prestigious but restrictive AS Monaco. Faivre is very similar to De Paul in the manner that he progresses the ball upfield.
The 22-year-old is an excellent dribbler and his 3.41 successful dribbles per 90 so far this season is better than every other central midfielder across Europe’s top five leagues according to Statsbomb and FBRef.com.
Faivre has also made a name for himself on the international scene, starring for France’s Under-21 side during the recent international breaks. For club and country so far this season, the midfielder has scored five goals, indicating he is more than just a creative player.
It is also highly likely that due to the comparably lesser standing of Brest, Faivre could be signed for a smaller fee than what was quoted for De Paul in the summer.
Angelo Fulgini – Angers SCO
Another Frenchman who could be on Leeds’ radar is Angers midfielder Angelo Fulgini. The 24-year-old has been a staple of Ligue 1 in recent seasons and is closing in on 100 appearances in the competition.
His experience only adds to how highly he is regarded, because Fulgini has consistently been the player most responsible for Angers’ ball-progression from midfield during their stay in the top flight.
Flitting between central midfield and attacking midfield, Fulgini is durable and carries quite the engine. Much like De Paul and Faivre, he is an excellent ball-carrier, and certainly would remedy the issues Leeds are currently facing at the core of their team.
One drawback would be that Fulgini did sign a contract extension with Angers two months ago which keeps him at the club until 2023, but the stature of the French club means a lucrative financial offer would be difficult to reject.
Standing at six feet tall, Fulgini is robust enough to stand up to full-blooded attempts to seize the ball from him and could acclimatise well to Premier League surroundings.
