Leeds could be about to repeat their Okafor masterclass

Leeds United showed real ambition in the transfer market to bolster Daniel Farke‘s first-team squad in the summer transfer window after they won promotion to the Premier League.

The most significant outlay, in terms of transfer fees, was the signing of forward Noah Okafor from Italian giants AC Milan for a fee of £18m to add to their options at the top end of the pitch.

It was an ambitious signing for the Whites because he had previously been linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, and Arsenal, all established Premier League teams who have played European football in recent seasons.

They raided another team from a major European league and beat off interest from some top clubs to bring Okafor to Elland Road, and they were heavily rewarded for it.

The Swiss star ended his first season with the club with a return of eight goals from 5.26 xG and four ‘big chances’ created in 28 appearances in the Premier League.

Leeds United submit bid to sign Serie A star

Okafor lived up to the hype and showed why so many other established Premier League teams wanted to sign him in the past, as he helped the club to avoid relegation back down to the Championship.

Now, the West Yorkshire outfit are looking at a player who could follow in Okafor’s footsteps and be a fantastic addition to Farke’s squad for next season.

According to Italian outlet La Stampa, Leeds United are pursuing a deal to sign Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Whites have gone as far as to submit an offer of €30m (£26m) to sign the Japan international, but it remains to be seen whether or not that is enough to strike a deal as they hold talks with the Serie A team.

It adds that Italian giants Juventus are also interested in signing the Japanese shot-stopper and will provide competition for his signature, which means that this will not be an easy deal to complete.

The fact that Leeds have made a bid for Suzuki, though, shows that they mean business and that they want to act fast to win the race for his services this summer.

How Zion Suzuki can be Leeds United’s next Noah Okafor

Stating the obvious, the Parma star is a goalkeeper and not an attacking player like Okafor, so this would not be a deal that mirrors the Swiss star’s on the pitch.

However, Suzuki could join the Whites in very similar circumstances, as he would be another highly-rated talent joining from the Serie A after being linked to ‘bigger’ teams.

Manchester United and Aston Villa, who will both be playing Champions League football next season, have both been linked with the shot-stopper this summer, whilst Chelsea were named as a suitor for him last year.

Suzuki’s performances for Japan at the World Cup may have also caused Juventus to enter the race for his signature, as he caught the eye as a complete goalkeeper for his country.

His impressive statistics when it came to shot-stopping, distribution, sweeping, and cross-claiming show that he excels in all areas of being a goalkeeper, which is why so many high-profile teams want to sign him.

That is why he would be such an impressive and ambitious signing for Leeds if they can strike a deal with Parma for the Japan international, in the same way that they were able to with Milan for Okafor last summer.

On top of his performances for his country, Suzuki is also an experienced player in one of Europe’s major leagues, having played 57 times in the Serie A for Parma.

The 23-year-old star, who was described as “phenomenal” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, has kept 12 clean sheets in the Italian top-flight, whilst only making one error that directly led to a goal.

Suzuki could arrive at Elland Road to be Farke’s new long-term number one in the Premier League, replacing 35-year-old Karl Darlow, and play a vital role in keeping the team in the top-flight for years to come.

They have already shown that they can hit the jackpot with ambitious signings, such as Okafor, and the Japanese goalkeeper may be the next in line.