News of Samuel Saiz’s departure came out of nowhere, and it is certain now that the midfielder is set to join (Yorkshire Evening Post) La Liga outfit Getafe in January on loan. The move is going to be turned into a permanent one in the summer, and the Whites have now fallen short in terms of depth in the attacking midfield department.
Recently, Izzy brown also came down with an injury while playing with the Leeds u-23 side. The Chelsea loanee is considered as a like for like replacement for Saiz in the squad, but he might take some time to settle in. Lewis Baker has struggled to fill in for him, and it is clear that he isn’t suited to play in that midfield role. Therefore the club should look for a replacement in the January window even though Marcelo Bielsa had played down (Leeds Live) any major shakeups happening in the winter transfer period.
Here are three attacking midfielders the Whites can go after next month.
Nick Powell
The Latics man would probably be the perfect replacement for Saiz, and we for sure think he would fit in perfectly in the current Bielsa system. Powell is currently in the final year of his contract and Wigan can look to sell him in January as to not lose him for free in the summer (Our opinion).
The former Manchester United man is an intelligent operator and often finds himself in the pocket of spaces in between the defence and midfield. He can pick out a killer pass in the final third, and his versatility also allows him to start as a striker when required. The 24-year-old can be a proper goal scorer as well, and the playmaker was even linked (The Express) in the summer with the Whites.
Ibai Gomez
The Whites have been linked (Leeds Live) with him in the past few months, and Gomez has even played under Bielsa before at Athletic Bilbao. The 29-year-old can play anywhere across the final third, and he can be devastating in central areas as well even though he has played as a winger for the most parts of his career.
However, if reports from Mundo Deportivo are to go by, the Spaniard has his release clause set at £9m which can be a significant stumbling block for the English outfit.
Bradley Dack
The Blackburn Rovers man is currently the driving force for his team who are struggling at the mid-table in the Championship. The 24-year-old has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in all competitions, and he would be a major coup for the Whites if they manage to lure him at Elland Road. Dack might be tempted to move to West Yorkshire given that they are so well placed in the Championship to move to the Premier League and the Englishman could be an ideal like for like replacement for Saiz.
