Leeds desperate to sign Premier League star

It’s something of a quirk that three of the top four English scorers in the Premier League last season are not actually part of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, including Leeds United‘s Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The ex-Everton man – signed on a free transfer last summer – embarked on a real resurgence at Elland Road after a difficult few years on Merseyside, firmly putting himself in contention to make the plane for the United States.

Indeed, only Ollie Watkins and Morgan Gibbs-White bettered his tally of 14 league goals, comfortably the 29-year-old’s best return since hitting 16 for the Toffees back in 2020/21.

Unfortunately for the experienced striker, however, Tuchel opted for the wildcard pick of Ivan Toney to rival both Watkins and Harry Kane, a cruel omission following a fine season for Calvert-Lewin.

No matter, he can now enjoy a summer off to recharge before going again under Daniel Farke next season, with similar signings excitingly in the works too in Yorkshire.

Leeds desperate to wrap up deal to sign Premier League star

The wait for a first signing of the summer continues at Elland Road, although the Whites do appear to be making progress in their pursuit of Southampton’s Shea Charles.

The 22-year-old missed out on promotion with the Saints, yet could be set for Premier League football regardless in Leeds, even with an initial £20m offer having been rebuffed.

Farke and co appear to be closing in on an agreement for the Northern Ireland international, with parallel deals also underway for other reported targets, including Harry Wilson.

As per TEAMtalk, Leeds remain in ‘ongoing’ talks regarding deals for both Wilson and Julian Brandt, the former having come close to signing a year ago, before Fulham backed out of a sale.

The Welshman is now set to be available on a free transfer, amid his expiring contract, having remained one of Farke’s leading targets following another fine campaign at Craven Cottage.

Like with Brandt, there is set to be competition for the 29-year-old’s signature, although Leeds are believed to be ‘desperate’ to add the one-time Liverpool man to their ranks before too long.

This has been followed up by journalist James Marshment, who revealed that the club are “well-placed” to strike a deal, having held “extensive talks” with Wilson’s agent, amid his decision to reject a Fulham contract offer.

Why Wilson could be another Calvert-Lewin at Leeds

You do have to credit Leeds’ recruitment team for securing what proved to be a raft of relatively low-cost deals last summer, not least free transfer arrivals for the likes of Lukas Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin.

The pair scored 20 league goals between them in the end, albeit with much of that coming courtesy of Calvert-Lewin, following a particularly stellar purple patch over the festive period.

He had endured season after season of injury woes at Everton, yet Leeds gambled on his prior, proven quality, having hit 29 top-flight goals previously across 2019/20 and 2020/21.

To say that gamble paid off would be an understatement, and after a summer in which a raft of Premier League clubs spent big on centre-forward signings, it wouldn’t be wrong to point to Calvert-Lewin as the most successful of them all.

Hopefully, bringing Wilson into the mix would lead to a similar success story next season, with the left-footer currently “one of the Premier League’s best players“, in the view of one notable Wales podcaster.

He would be joining off the back of arguably a career-best season in the top tier, taking on talismanic status under Marco Silva’s watch with 17 goals and assists for the Cottagers.

While Calvert-Lewin’s best work had come years before moving to Yorkshire, both he and Wilson have proven themselves one way or another in the Premier League, taking away the potential risk of any deal.

The fact that Wilson is a free transfer too also ensures this deal is a no-brainer, with his ability to conjure something out of nothing making him an asset for any side, with three of his ten league goals coming outside of the box last season.

A man capable of the spectacular, like Calvert-Lewin he hasn’t always had it easy in his career to date, mirroring the Englishman with his own difficult spell on Merseyside after failing to really make the grade at Liverpool.

He’s fought his way back from that disappointment to emerge as a dependable figure in west London, scoring and assisting 82 goals in 187 games for his current side to date.

Of course, at 29, this wouldn’t exactly be a long-term deal, but in an era where recruitment is often obsessed with under-25 signings, Calvert-Lewin’s case shows the benefit of acquiring proven, ready-made quality.