Leeds United will restart their Premier League marketing campaign in simply over per week’s time as they host Manchester City at Elland Highway.
They are going to be hoping to keep up the free-scoring type which noticed them rating nine targets of their final three top-flight matches, with their win at Anfield on the finish of October the standout second of their season up to now.
Nonetheless, in the long run, Jesse Marsch will wish to resolve his defensive frailties which may price the Whites their place within the Premier League. They’ve already conceded 26 targets in simply 14 league matches, making each sport a major slog simply to grab three factors.
While one may counsel seeking to the again 4 to rectify this problem, it appears that evidently the American has highlighted that the issue might lie in midfield.
Due to this fact, he’s reportedly searching for out Moroccan star Azzedine Ounahi to be their saviour, including an additional physique within the Elland Highway engine room who has confirmed his defensive qualities on the world stage.
Victor Orta even admitted to Marca (through Yorkshire Evening Post) about their curiosity within the Angers teenager.
The 22-year-old was integral in his nation’s outstanding run to the World Cup semi-finals, making history as the primary African crew ever to achieve that stage of the competitors.
Such is his expertise, he has even been likened to Frenkie de Jong in the best way that he provides a lot defensively, though his major concern is to obtain the ball from the centre-backs and assist ease the transition into assault. FBRef even lists the Dutchman on Ounahi’s ‘comparable gamers’ metric.
Including somebody of his high quality and enjoying type to Marsch’s aspect could possibly be the important thing to not solely unlocking a few of Leeds’ offensive gamers but additionally including an additional layer of solidity that they’re missing.
The teenager ranks within the prime 1% for dribbles accomplished amongst midfielders in Europe’s prime 5 leagues in 2022 – an enchancment on De Jong, who solely ranks within the prime 13%.
Ounahi additionally posted spectacular defensive numbers on the World Cup. Averaging a 6.97 ranking throughout the match, he recorded one interception and 1.3 tackles per sport alongside 0.9 key passes per match (through Sofascore).
Ought to Leeds signal Azzedine Ounahi?
No
Sure
Enjoying beside Sofyan Amrabat, he turned an integral workhorse to companion his defensive qualities, with Jose Mourinho main the reward for the 22-year-old by dubbing him “absolutely incredible”.
Tyler Adams and Marc Roca may present this high quality for the Whites, while Ounahi could possibly be the ultimate piece to finishing the midfield trio as Leeds’ very personal model of De Jong.