Leeds in the race for “explosive” PL star who wants to move

Leeds United have now shown they can compete with the Premier League big boys, but can they get results against the teams closest to them in the overall standings?

Next up for Daniel Farke’s reinvigorated Whites, having faced Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in succession, is Brentford, who are just four points better off than the West Yorkshire side, sitting in 14th place.

After that, tighter ties flood the calendar for the relegation-threatened side against Crystal Palace and Sunderland, before Arne Slot’s Reds do battle with Farke’s men at Anfield to see out the new year.

It will be more apparent at that point whether Leeds can go the distance in their survival goals, as many new signings are also beginning to be linked with a move to Elland Road, in preparation for the opening of the bumper January transfer window.

Latest Leeds transfer

The Premier League newcomers have already splashed the cash in January, having once shelled out a club record £35.5million for Georginio Rutter in 2022.

The same overspending is unlikely to be on the menu this time around, but Farke and Co. have been linked with a move for Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, who continues to impress in Scotland.

Barcelona’s Roony Bardhji has also reportedly attracted attention, but the most tantalizing rumor of all now links them to Chelsea’s reserve talent Tyrique George, according to a new report from TEAMTalk.

Sources reportedly revealed to the site that George was adamant about leaving Stamford Bridge permanently, amid concerns over his lack of first-team opportunities.

This has sparked interest in his services from the likes of Fulham, Everton and Leeds, with the Whites monitoring the exciting Englishman as they look for depth in the attacking areas in January.

With goals like this in the Champions League earlier in the season, George should be able to break into Farke’s camp and assert his authority, while another sidelined Chelsea youngster could potentially come into his own at Elland Road, much like Ethan Ampadu.

Why George can be the next Ampadu

Ampadu would make just 12 unforgettable senior appearances for the Blues before leaving west London.

George, as of this writing, is sitting on a much heavier 36, but he will still crave more consistent senior minutes.

The Welshman would ultimately never look back after swapping Stamford Bridge for Elland Road in the summer of 2023, with Ampadu now a Championship-winning midfield star under Farke.

He even had the last laugh against his ex-employers earlier this month, when his six duels and two tackle wins, according to Sofascore, gave Leeds some much-needed courage in the 3-1 win over Enzo Maresca’s challengers.

George will look at Ampadu’s steep rise from reserve at Chelsea to star at Leeds with a desire to follow in his footsteps, with clear flashes of quality in the Blues’ first team photo already, putting the 19-year-old in a good position to make waves in Farke’s main team, should a transfer be sealed.

Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson branded the London-born winger “explosive” last summer as he began to make progress, while scout Jacek Kulig also noted George was “special” when contributing to FA Cup, Premier League and Conference League goals for Maresca’s men.

Yet despite having 12 goals next to his name in the west London senior team, George has been limited to just four Premier League appearances so far this season, with Leeds perhaps the place that can finally give him the minutes he craves.

With a goal and an assist in the top flight in just one start, George would surely be a worthwhile back-up option at least for Leeds.

But, with time, everything seems in place for George to become a reliable first-team presence under the German’s management, with Ampadu’s patience in the reserve ranks at Chelsea ultimately rewarded with a breakthrough in style at Elland Road.

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