With Pascal Struijk set to depart, Leeds United have now identified Danilho Doekhi as a leading target, alongside two other centre-backs.
Struijk’s time at Elland Road is coming to an end, with Leeds choosing to cash-in on the defender, given that he has just one year remaining on his contract, and a move to Brighton for £20m is in the offing.
The 26-year-old was one of Daniel Farke‘s most important players in the Premier League last season, making 34 appearances, which means bringing in a solid replacement is crucial, and Union Berlin’s Doekhi is one of the main targets, after starting every single Bundesliga match.
|
Football FanCast’s Verdict |
|
|---|---|
|
Credibility |
Struijk’s departure has forced Leeds into action in the transfer market, with the Dutchman playing a key role in them avoiding the drop last season, featuring for 2,937 minutes in the Premier League, receiving the third-highest amount of game time in the squad. |
|
Finances |
Doekhi is set to be available on a free transfer when his contract expires this month, meaning he would be a low-cost addition to Farke’s squad. |
|
Insight |
Much like Struijk, the Union Berlin star was a vital player for his side last season, amassing 3,060 minutes of game time in the Bundesliga. An average of 8.7 defensive contributions per 90 ranked him third in the German side’s squad. |
|
Impact |
Given his exploits at Union Berlin, the 28-year-old is well-placed to make an instant impact at Elland Road. Although he is right-footed, the Dutchman is likely to be a replacement for his compatriot, although Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ladislav Krejci, who is naturally left-footed, remains an alternative option. |
Leeds identify three key targets to replace Pascal Struijk
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Doekhi has now emerged as one of Leeds’ leading targets to replace Struijk, alongside Krejci and Borussia Monchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi.
The Union Berlin star is set to be available on a free transfer very soon, but he is also attracting serious interest from clubs in Germany and Italy.
Danilho Doekhi could be a threat in both boxes for Leeds
The 27-year-old put in a remarkable performance against Bayern Munich last season, bagging a brace in a 2-2 draw, after which he was described as a “goal-scoring menace” by journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt.
In fact, the centre-back finished the campaign with seven goals in 37 matches in all competitions, which suggests he could pose an attacking threat for Leeds.
Crucially for a defender, the Bundesliga star is also strong in the air, winning 156 aerial duels in the league last season, with a success rate of 65.8%, while also averaging the second-highest number of blocks per 90 (0.7) in the squad.
Doekhi has featured in every single Bundesliga match for Union Berlin over the past two seasons, highlighting his consistency, and he could be a fantastic Struijk replacement.
Why Leeds should regret selling a Pascal Struijk upgrade for just £4m
Leeds United already let go of a star who could have been an upgrade on Pascal Struijk for Daniel Farke.
