Leeds United‘s attention should turn to the summer transfer window after they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea at Wembley in the semi-finals on Sunday.
The Whites are almost safe in the Premier League, having hit the magic 40-point mark, and they must be active in the next window to ensure that they can kick on next season.
There is already work going on behind the scenes to recruit new stars for Daniel Farke‘s team, with plenty of players being linked with moves to Elland Road.
For example, representatives of Liverpool attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott have reportedly approached Leeds to see if they would be interested in signing him this summer.
The Whites have also been linked with an interest in Juventus centre-forward Lois Openda, as they look to add to their attacking firepower ahead of next season.
Leeds could take advantage of Wolves’ relegation from the Premier League this season, as they have already been linked with Mateus Mane, Andre, and Joao Gomes.
Despite the Old Gold’s relegation from the top-flight, they have several players who are of interest to teams, and the Whites are keen on another one of their stars.
According to Sport Witness, Leeds United are one of a number of clubs to have made contact with Wolves over a deal to sign central £10m defender Santiago Bueno.
The report claims that Crystal Palace, West Ham, and Brentford are also eyeing up a move for the Uruguay international in the summer transfer window.
All four teams are said to have made contact to enter into talks over a possible swoop for the experienced defender, now that it is confirmed that the Old Gold will be in the Championship next season.
However, Sport Witness does not reveal how much Wolves are set to demand for the 27-year-old star or how much Leeds are willing to pay for his services.
How Santiago Bueno would be Leeds’ new Kalvin Phillips
If the Whites end up winning the race to sign Bueno from Wolves ahead of the likes of Palace, Brentford, and West Ham, the Uruguayan star could be Farke’s own version of Kalvin Phillips.
The former England international’s aggression and positional flexibility played a big role in his success under Marcelo Bielsa, because in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns he could comfortably fill in as a centre-back or as the sole holding midfielder in a 4-1-4-1.
In the 2020/21 Premier League season, Phillips mainly played as a defensive midfielder, but also featured at centre-back, and won 52% of his duels, winning 5.3 per game on average.
|
20/21 Premier League |
Kalvin Phillips |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
29 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Pass accuracy |
85% |
|
Tackles per game |
2.6 |
|
Interceptions per game |
1.6 |
|
Ground duel success rate |
53% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
47% |
Bueno, who was described as an “aggressive” player by sporting director Matt Hobbs, carries similar qualities to Phillips, in the sense that he can also play as a central defender or as a holding midfielder.
The Uruguay international’s main position is centre-back, rather than in midfield, but he has played both role in his career and could offer useful versatility to Farke, as he could play centre-back in a back three or four, or as a holding midfielder.
Bueno has proven himself to be an aggressive and dominant defender in the last two Premier League seasons with Wolves, winning over 50% of his ground duels and aerial duels, including winning 61% of his ground duels this term.
Whilst Wolves have been relegated from the top-flight this season, the 27-year-old also played 29 times when they avoided the drop in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that conclusions on his ability should not be drawn from their league finish this year.
The former Girona star could fare better in a Leeds team that is geared to avoid relegation, as they did this season, rather than in a struggling Wolves team where he is constantly fighting a losing battle at the back.
Bueno has shown that he can be a dominant and versatile Premier League player, just as Phillips was for Bielsa, and that could make him a valuable option for Farke if the club can get a deal done for him.
The right-footed defender could offer valuable depth in the back three, providing competition for the likes of Pascal Struijk, Jaka Bijol, and Joe Rodon, whilst offering cover for Ethan Ampadu in the holding midfield role.
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