Leeds United have shattered their transfer record after completing a £27million deal with Valencia for Spain striker Rodrigo.
The Whites had been linked with a number of attacking targets since earning promotion back to the Premier League, but Rodrigo is the player Marcelo Bielsa has chosen to lead the line.
Further names will be on Leeds' summer shopping list as they look to add quality players to the squad that won the Championship last season. Should Leeds be again looking to Spain for further transfers, here are five La Liga player the club could target.
Yassine Bounou
Club: Girona
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 29
Nationality: Morocco
He was the star of the show in both the Europa League semi finals and final for Sevilla, pulling off a number of stunning saves as the Andalusians won the competition for a record sixth time. The quirk of the situation was that Yassine Bounou (best known as Bono) isn’t even a Sevilla player, with the 29-year-old spending last season on loan from Girona.
Leeds are believed to be in the market for a new goalkeeper, with on and off the pitch doubts about Kiko Casilla, so Bono would be a shrewd addition. While Sevilla reportedly want to keep the Moroccan, he would once again be second choice to Tomas Vaclik at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. At Elland Road, Bono would be a key figure.
Denis Cheryshev
Club: Valencia
Position: Winger
Age: 29
Nationality: Russia
Last week saw Leeds United lodge an offer for Rangers winger Ryan Kent. Bielsa is believed to be a fan of the former Liverpool academy graduate and there are suggestions that the Whites will test the Scottish club’s resolve with another bid. If Leeds are in the market for a left-sided wide man, there could be a better, and more affordable, option.
Valencia find themselves in financial trouble, leading to a fire sale of many of their best players. Dani Parejo, Francis Coquelin and Ferran Torres have all left the club on the cheap and reports claim Denis Cheryshev could cost as little as €5 million (via Fiches Futbol ). This is a player with significant goal threat who has proved himself at the top level. Remember the 2018 World Cup?.
Jaume Domenech
Club: Valencia
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 29
Nationality: Spain
As already mentioned, it’s likely that Leeds United will attempt to sign a goalkeeper before the start of the 2020/21 Premier League season and, as already mentioned, Valencia are having something of a clear out this summer. These two things could combine to put Jaume Domenech on Bielsa’s shortlist.
An established and proven performer in La Liga, Domenech lost his starting spot in the Valencia first team to Jasper Cillessen last season. However, the 29-year-old still managed to start 14 games over the course of the campaign and was reliable throughout. A cut price deal for Domenech could represent real value.
Pervis Estupinan
Club: Osasuna
Position: Full back
Age: 22
Nationality: Ecuador
He may technically be on the books of Watford, but it’s in La Liga where Pervis Estupinan has earned himself a reputation as one of the most exciting young full backs in the game. Last season saw the 22-year-old notch five league assists and score once in what was a highly impressive campaign for the Ecuadorian.
This has led to links with the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and even Barcelona, but whole Estupinan would be a squad option at any of these clubs he would be a key figure for Leeds United. With Watford looking to balance the books following their relegation from the Premier League, a good value deal could be struck.
Marc Roca
Club: Espanyol
Position: Midfielder
Age: 23
Nationality: Spain
Once linked with the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona, Marc Roca’s stock took a hit last season as Espanyol suffered relegation to the Spanish second tier. The 23-year-old struggled to find his best form and wasn’t blameless in what happened to the Catalan club. But through this, Leeds United could get themselves a bargain.
Espanyol need to sell and Roca himself will surely want to move on rather than play in the Segunda Division. The Spaniard is technically gifted with the ball at his feet and would give Leeds control in the centre of the pitch. And at 23, there is still plenty of scope for the midfielder to grow and develop further.
