The Athletic’s Phil Hay has suggested that Leeds should target Fulham midfielder Zambo Anguissa in this summer’s transfer window.
What’s the story?
The Cottagers are battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League, and Hay has urged Marcelo Bielsa’s side to try and convince Anguissa over a move to Elland Road in the summer.
Speaking on The Phil Hay Show, he said: “He’s a player I would go for, yeah, absolutely. I think whether or not they can realistically sell a move to Leeds to him, I don’t know because you have the problem of an England international (Kalvin Phillips) in there who just keeps getting better, looks more and more secure, looks more and more accurate and effective with his passing.
“If you were saying to Anguissa, ‘Look, we need somebody to come in and not necessarily compete with Phillips, but to be there if Phillips isn’t available – it’s not too much of a sell to a player.
“I think they’ll go for somebody else. I think they’ll try and find somebody potentially younger or somebody who is more willing to be a backstop to Phillips. But Anguissa, to me, looks extremely talented and a player I would have.”
Bielsa worked with him before
While Anguissa is making a name for himself in London, he actually really came into the spotlight at Marseille and was there when current Leeds boss Bielsa was in charge at the Stade Velodrome.
The Argentine took Anguissa under his wing, with the midfielder himself admitting that the manager played a big part in his future success despite not playing under his management following Bielsa’s resignation. The 25-year-old said: “He believed in me and said, ‘You have a lot of quality, I am going to put you in the group’. If a youngster has potential, he can surprise the world.”
Joachim Andersen, his teammate at Craven Cottage, has waxed lyrical about the midfielder, saying: “He’s a top player. He’s a machine in the midfield. He’s winning so many balls and driving forward with it.”
Given that Bielsa has worked with Anguissa before, and having seen his potential, he will surely know how to get the best out of the £22.5m-rated midfielder.
As Hay says, while Leeds may fancy someone younger, there is surely more of a guarantee in going after Anguissa, who now has Premier League experience under his belt and has the added advantage of having already worked with the manager.
Meanwhile, Victor Orta pulled off an absolute masterclass for Leeds with this signing…