Leeds United fans will soon be welcoming back a whole horde of familiar faces to Elland Road when Premier League football gets officially underway.
The likes of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray will all likely line up for their new sides in West Yorkshire, with Daniel Farke no doubt one to catch up with his past Whites servants before any niceties then go out the window on the pitch, considering their impressive spells donning Leeds white in the first place.
The German could even be about to win his next version of Gray this summer if all goes to plan, with Leeds reportedly having to spend big to land this new, versatile target.
Leeds interested in £30m star
It had been a relatively quiet window as far as incomings were concerned at Elland Road until Sunday when, out of the blue, Leeds managed to seal the signing of Felix Nmecha.
The striker arrived from Wolfsburg on a free transfer following the conclusion of his contract with the German club. So, who’s next on the radar?
Well, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola (via Sport Witness) Leeds are now keen on adding standout Southampton gem Matheus Fernandes to their ranks.
Previously, Fernandes has been valued at around the £30m mark, but Sport Witness goes on to elaborate that a heftier asking price could now be in the offing if Leeds, Nottingham Forest or Crystal Palace want to win their desired man.
It remains to be seen whether the newly promoted side would entertain a fee that’s higher than the already outlined £30m, but the daring capture of Fernandes could prove to be worthwhile down the line, particularly if the 20-year-old blossoms into Farke’s next iteration of Gray on his potential move to West Yorkshire.
How Fernandes could be Leeds' next Gray
Much like Gray was thrust into the spotlight under Farke during the 2023/24 season at Elland Road, Fernandes has been in and around the daunting environments of senior football for some time now without ever appearing to be fazed.
Indeed, the Portugal U21 international was gifted his senior Sporting debut under the tenure of Ruben Amorim when he was only the tender age of 18, with just ten senior appearances coming his way in the Portuguese capital before Southampton came calling.
Gray only experienced one season himself in the senior ranks at Leeds before his adventure in the big time also occurred, but whilst the 19-year-old did impress in flashes for Tottenham Hotspur last season when infrequently utilised, Fernandes was a constant bright spark for the Saints, even as they unfortunately succumbed to relegation.
In total, the 5 foot 10 starlet collected three goals and six assists at St. Mary’s in all competitions, with his Premier League journey rightfully not grinding to a halt if one of the aforementioned three top-flight suitors soon picks him up.
CM
68
7
9
AM
33
3
7
DM
6
0
0
RW
4
1
1
LM
3
0
1
LW
2
0
0
CF
1
0
0
RM
1
0
0
For Leeds’ sake, if the similarities between the pair weren’t already obvious, his flexible nature to perform all across the pitch when glancing at the table above will make him even more of a desirable target in their attempts to land their next Gray.
Indeed, the new Spurs number 14 routinely slotted into the full-back positions under Farke’s wing in the Championship to prove his worth to the Elland Road cause.
The “complete” Fernandes – as he has been labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson – is willing to line up as an option down the flank too, away from feeling more comfortable slotting into a lineup as a number ten or into a more traditional central role.
The in-demand 20-year-old will also surely view Leeds as a worthwhile next destination, having seen what the club did for Gray, on top of the fact that the list of other promising young midfielders who have shone in West Yorkshire includes Kalvin Phillips.
Previously hailed as a “big talent” too by scout Jacek Kulig, it will be intriguing to see if Leeds are prepared to fork out a sum around the £30m mark to land such a hyped up star.
Their boldness could pay off if Fernandes goes on to be a similar success story to Gray’s, with the Saints’ number 18 just hopeful he can steer his potential new side to safety if he does join, over another relegation stain blotting his CV.
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