In a recent report, Italian news outlet L’Union Sarda stated that Cagliari Calcio midfielder Nahitan Nandez is close to joining Leeds United this summer. It is believed that both Inter Milan and AS Roma are losing interest in the Uruguayan midfield ace which could open the door for the Whites to capture his services during this summer transfer period (via L’Union Sarda).
Nandez’s Outstanding Season At Sardegna Arena
The 25-year-old experienced a solid campaign in Italy as he put in some impressive displays at the heart of Cagliari’s midfield. Nandez was involved in 34 matches for the Sardinia-based outfit last season when he scored two goals and grabbed three assists across all fronts.
The Uruguay international deserves a lot of credit for averaging 1.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 1.5 clearances, 1.0 shots, 1.0 key passes, 0.8 crosses and 1.2 dribbles per game in the 2020-21 Serie A campaign. He even distributed the ball relatively well after completing 77.7% of his attempted passes in the Italian top-flight (stats via whoscored).
The way Nandez has been playing of late, Leeds should move in quickly for him as he will undeniably add a lot of quality to Marcelo Bielsa’s midfield department. At 25, the best is yet to come from him, so the Whites head coach can expect to make the most of his services if he can successfully bring him to Elland Road in this off-season.
Will Recruiting Nandez Be A Wise Move For The Whites?
Nandez has established himself as one of the most talented midfielders in Serie A football because of his ability to influence the game at both ends of the pitch. He can do a bit of everything at the centre of the park. The 38-time Uruguay international has got the hunger to get stuck in with some crunching tackles to secure the ball back in midfield.
The Cagliari star is not afraid to put his foot through the ball when required and can work his socks off to eat up a lot of ground for the benefit of his team. Nandez is primarily a box to box midfielder but can even fill in as a defensive midfielder or operate as a winger down the right flank. He has even added a few goals and assists to his game which makes him a great fit for Bielsa’s brand of football at West Yorkshire.
We can expect Nandez to increase competition for places within the Whites’ match-day squad. Moreover, his acquisition this summer could also help Leeds challenge for a European place in the Premier League next season. All in all, the Yorkshire giants would be wise to recruit Nandez during this summer transfer window as he has what it takes to become a consistent performer in English football over the next few seasons.
