Leeds could be closing in on their best signing since Calvert-Lewin

Harry Wilson arrived at Leeds United earlier this month to sign a four-year contract with the club after his deal with Premier League rivals Fulham expired.

The 29-year-old winger joined on a free transfer to bolster Daniel Farke‘s attack and will be hoping to carry over his strong form from the 2025/26 campaign, when he scored ten goals and provided seven assists in the top-flight.

Wilson will be hoping to emulate the success that Dominic Calvert-Lewin had last term after he made a similar move from Everton on a free transfer.

The England international scored 14 goals in the Premier League for the Whites to help them to avoid relegation back down to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin was Leeds’ best summer signing

Calvert-Lewin was the club’s best summer signing after their promotion from the second tier because of a number of factors, including the fact that he joined on a free because his contract at Everton expired.

After joining on a free, the 29-year-old centre-forward went on to be the club’s top goalscorer in all competitions, scoring 15 goals, which shows that he made a greater impact in the final third than any of the other signings made by the Whites.

He was also a phenomenal signing by Leeds because they had to take a significant risk when they brought him to Elland Road, as his form for the Toffees in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign was less than impressive.

Calvert-Lewin’s return of three goals in 26 league games for Everton did not suggest that he would be a huge hit for the Whites, but that is what he turned out to be.

Credit, therefore, has to go to Farke and to the recruitment team because they were willing to take a risk on the English number nine, and they were greatly rewarded for it.

That means that Calvert-Lewin is the gold standard to beat for any new signings coming in this summer, if the Whites want to take the team to the next level by raising the quality of the squad.

Leeds pushing to seal their best signing since Calvert-Lewin

Just as the former Everton man raised the quality of their forward options, the club are now looking at a player who could elevate their defence in the same way.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Leeds United are pushing to complete a deal to sign Sassuolo central defender Tarik Muharemovic this week.

The reporter claims that the Whites have already made a verbal contract offer to the Bosnia international to convince him to make the move to Elland Road this summer.

Romano adds that the club are confident that they can get a deal over the line and are continuing in talks with the Serie A outfit in an attempt to reach an agreement for the star, who has previously been touted at a fee of £34m.

The Bosnian defender could be the club’s best signing since Calvert-Lewin because, as a left-footed player, he could arrive as an upgrade on Pascal Struijk, who recently joined Brighton & Hove Albion for £20m.

Leeds were dealt a blow when the Dutchman opted to leave for their Premier League rivals after more than eight years in West Yorkshire, as it left them without a naturally left-footed centre-back option.

Muharemovic is a left-footed defender who would walk into Farke’s team on the basis of his performances for Sassuolo in the Serie A last season, as he won 64% of his ground and aerial duels, whilst making 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game.

Struijk, meanwhile, only won 55% of his ground duels and 56% of his aerial duels, averaging 2.0 tackles and interceptions per match in the Premier League, which suggests that the Bosnian star would improve Leeds as a better out-and-out defender.

On top of raising the ceiling of the backline for the Whites, Muharemovic is also 23 and would arrive as a player with plenty of time left to grow and develop over time.

His age profile means that he would join as an investment as well as a player who could make a huge impact in the here and now, which makes him a terrific short and long-term signing.

That is why Muharemovic would be the club’s best signing since they landed Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer, because he could offer value for next season and for future seasons.