Leeds United made waves in the transfer window this summer, with deals done for Rodrigo Moreno, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente and Raphinha. With the Elland Road club back in the Premier League for the first time in 16 years, all bases were covered. All bases, that is, besides one.
Marcelo Bielsa made clear his desire for another midfielder to be added to his squad.
This led to strong speculation around a move for Udinese’s Rodrigo de Paul, only for the Serie A club to set their asking price too high. Bayern Munich’s Michael Cuisance was also targeted, but a transfer fell through in the final stages.
Now, Leeds United are reportedly keen on Derby County’s Louie Sibley. According to Football Insider (via The Athletic’s Ryan Conway ), the Whites have communicated their interest in the young midfielder, although it’s unknown at this stage whether the necessary budget is in place to make a serious move.
The Championship transfer window closes on Friday and so Leeds United will have to act swiftly if they are to add Sibley to their squad.
Sibley is a player Leeds United should know relatively well. After all, the midfielder scored a hat trick against the Whites’ Under-23 side in the Premier League Cup almost exactly a year ago and then impressed against Bielsa’s side in the penultimate fixture of the 2019/20 Championship season, playing from the start for the Rams.
Last season saw Sibley make his breakthrough at senior level, scoring five and assisting three for Derby County in the Championship. This gave him a record of a direct goal involvement (goal or assist) every 110 minutes. These numbers illustrate the clear potential possessed by the 19-year-old.
Dig a little deeper and the numbers are similarly impressive. Sibley averaged 1.8 shots on goal per 90 minutes (as per WhoScored) last season, ranking him among Derby County’s most prolific shot-takers. He also charted 0.7 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per 90 minutes, hinting at his self-assurance on the ball.
The players Leeds United have targeted towards the back end of the summer (Harry Wilson, de Paul, Ryan Kent) suggest they want players who can give them forward thrust going forward. This would explain why they have turned their focus to Sibley, who would offer that.
Indeed, it’s easy to see why Bielsa would be interested in Sibley. He is versatile and can play in a number of positions across the midfield. He has even played as a striker and a full back during his time in the Derby County youth ranks such is his adaptability. A strong dribbler and hard worker, Sibley is a Bielsa type of player and a player destined for the top of the English game.
Of course, at just 19 years old the signing of Sibley would be made with one eye on the future. He at a different stage of his career to some of the proven stars Leeds United have targeted this summer and so Bielsa may have to stay patient in waiting for the young midfielder to flourish into the squad figure he needs.
Sibley must consider whether he would get the first team football he requires to continue his development at Elland Road. At Derby County, the teenager is already an important player, even if Phillip Cocu has only eased him into first team action again this season.
Sibley is also learning from having Wayne Rooney as a mentor.
The prospect of a Premier League move would surely be a tempting one for the young midfielder, though, as would the chance to work under Bielsa. Sibley is one of the Championship’s stars of the future and Elland Road could prove to be the perfect place for him to take the next step in his career.
