According to Club Doria 46, Leeds United have not made an offer for Omar Colley. The Sampdoria defender was facing an uncertain future at the club but his €15 million price tag appears to have put off both Leeds and West Ham. As a result, he is now most likely to remain in Sampdoria for at least another season, especially after being given the prospect of remaining a first-team regular for the club.
Omar Colley: The Defensive Rock In Serie A
Omar Colley might not be among the best-rated centre-backs in Serie A, but he certainly commands a lot of respect, especially at Sampdoria. Part of the team since 2018, the Gambian has established himself as a real leader at the club, with 85 competitive appearances.
Colley’s leadership qualities at the back, combined with his imposing 1.91m frame have made him an ever-present figure in Sampdoria’s backline. He was notably involved in 29 matches in Serie A last season, playing a key role in helping the club finish in the top half of the league table.
The 28-year-old also has 25 caps to his name, for the Gambian national team and is one of the country’s best ever footballing figures. But contrary to beliefs, he is not all about physicality and brute force. In fact, Colley is actually an excellent reader of the game.
His sharp mind is what makes him such a good leader at the back, as he can dictate the defensive positioning of his team. His imposing figure complements him well, making him an absolute defensive rock in Serie A.
Do Leeds United Need A Defender?
There are no questions over the temerity of Omar Colley. But whether or not Leeds United require defensive reinforcements remains an open argument among fans this summer.
The defence was certainly a weak point for the club last season, with the team conceding the most amount of goals in the first half of the league table. However, during the backend of the campaign, Leeds’ defensive unit improved rapidly.
New signing Diego Llorente, in particular, stepped up his game brilliantly while both Luke Ayling and Pascal Struijk did a fantastic job as well. All three of them are set to become key figures in Marcelo Bielsa’s first-team plans, with the Argentine tactician also having the option to deploy Liam Cooper and Robin Koch.
Therefore, signing another centre-back should not be the utmost priority for the Whites at the moment. Instead, they could go for a central midfielder who can cover Kalvin Phillips or perhaps a striker to play second fiddle to Patrick Bamford next season.
