A big update has emerged on Leeds United and their attempts to bolster the playing squad before the summer transfer window slams shut next week.
What's the latest Leeds transfer news?
According to The Athletic's Phil Hay, the Whites have agreed a deal to sign a central midfielder after the official confirmation of Joel Piroe's arrival from Championship rivals Swansea on Thursday night.
The reporter has claimed that the club have reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen to bring in German maestro Nadiem Amiri for an initial fee of £5m as manager Daniel Farke closes in on his sixth signing of the window; following Piroe, Karl Darlow, Sam Byram, Joe Rodon, and Ethan Ampadu.
Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…
Hay has stated that there is still work to be done before the move is finalised but the 26-year-old dynamo is expected to be the team's next arrival if he agrees to the switch.
How good is Nadiem Amiri?
The Leverkusen maestro has endured a difficult couple of years in the Bundesliga.
Still, his form throughout his career prior to this recent sticky spell suggests that the potential is there for him to be Mateusz Klich 2.0 at Elland Road.
Amiri has only started nine league games for the German side over the last two seasons and has, therefore, been unable to showcase his quality on a regular basis due to a lack of consistency in his minutes.
However, the right-footed magician started 42 Bundesliga games over the previous two campaigns and caught the eye with his performances in the middle of the park.
During the 2020/21 term, the £5m-rated talent scored two goals and provided six assists from midfield whilst also being able to provide 1.3 key passes per match across 20 starts.
This came after Amiri created nine 'big chances' and produced 1.9 key passes per game for his teammates over 22 top-flight starts throughout the 2019/20 season.
Last term, no Leeds player. let alone attacking midfielder, managed more than 1.5 key passes per match in the Premier League, which illustrates how impressive the German hotshot's production was that year.
Since moving to Leverkusen in 2019, the 26-year-old whiz has scored 12 goals and assisted 19 in 138 competitive outings – an average of one goal contribution every 4.45 matches on average.
This shows that he is a central midfielder who has the potential to chip in with goals and assists throughout the season in the same way that Klich did during his time in Yorkshire.
The Poland international, who now plays for D.C. United in the MLS, racked up 24 goals and 21 assists in 195 games for Leeds, which works out as a direct involvement every 4.33 clashes on average.
These statistics show that the former White star provided a semi-regular threat from midfield with an almost equal amount of goals and assists to his name.
Therefore, Amiri – who was hailed as "exciting" by AllLeedsTV presenter Oscar Marrio – could be a Klich-esque figure for Farke in central midfield due to his ability to make an impact at the top end of the pitch at a similar rate to the Polish ace.
The German head coach will be hoping that the drop down to second-division football, away from the top-flight in his home country, will allow the Leverkusen midfielder to return to his best form, from the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, which could make him a terrific asset for the club.
