According to Fabrizio Romano, Leeds United are keen on securing the services of Rodrigo de Paul. They are trying to work out a deal with Udinese for the attacking midfielder, who is regarded as one of the league’s best creative outlets. However, it won’t be surprising to see the Italian outfit offloading their star player following the financial crisis caused by the Coronavirus.
What Can He Bring To The Table?
An attacking midfielder by trade, de Paul has been a top player for Udinese for quite some time now. He has notched up almost 150 competitive appearances for the club, during which he was involved in 50 goals.
One of de Paul’s main assets is his ability to create chances in the final third. Last season, for example, the Argentine international delivered 77 key passes in 34 matches, which was sixth highest in the league. He also averaged 2.5 attempts on goal per game, which indicates his willingness to test the opposing goalkeeper.
Moreover, de Paul is an excellent ball-carrier, notably completing 62 successful dribbles last season with a success rate of 67%. His quick-feet and movement allows him to become quite useful in evading the opposing press, after which, the 26-year-old has the vision and industry to craft scoring opportunities for his team.
de Paul’s productivity was, therefore, quite useful during the 2019/20 campaign as he was the only bright spark in an otherwise ineffective Udinese attack that managed to score only 37 goals, third lowest in the division.
Is Rodrigo de Paul an ideal signing for Leeds United?
Despite the return of both Jack Harrison and Helder Costa, this summer, Leeds United require further reinforcements in the attacking department. Signing at least another number ten or a winger is the need of the hour, and that is where someone like de Paul could be useful.
The Udinese playmaker can provide that creative essence in the final third for the Whites. He already has a lot of experience at the highest level of football, which should be useful for an otherwise inexperienced Leeds United setup.
Tactically, de Paul could slot into Marcelo Bielsa’s 4-1-4-1 formation and act as an alternative for the ageing Pablo Hernandez. His technically astute style of play should combine well with the more robust nature of Mateusz Klich, thus adding another dimension to Leeds’ approach play.
However, it remains to be seen how much Udinese demand for their star player, knowing that the Whites simply cannot afford to make a big-money signing, especially after having signed Rodrigo Moreno for a record fee.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
