Leeds United are reportedly enthusiastic about signing Villarreal defender Alfonso Pedraza, with the Spaniard having beforehand loved a short stint at Elland Highway.
What’s the phrase?
In response to Soccer Espana, the Yorkshire aspect – in addition to Serie A outfit Inter Milan – are eager on signing the 26-year-old within the New 12 months, with the Whites already having a reference to the participant after signing him on mortgage again in 2017.
The report means that the Premier League aspect may properly obtain encouragement of their bid to land the full-back because the participant is claimed to be open to a departure, whereas the LaLiga membership may be prepared to sanction a sale.
A brand new left-back does seem like on the agenda for sporting director Victor Orta, with current studies having additionally claimed that Philadephia Union gem Kai Wagner can be a goal for the membership.
Marsch’s personal Perisic
Regardless of having hardly pulled up any bushes throughout his transient time in England – scoring as soon as in simply 14 appearances – Pedraza has definitely gone on to impress since then, along with his whole tally for the Yellow Submarine now standing at 11 targets and 18 assists in 147 video games throughout all fronts.
The 6-foot ace was notably spectacular below Unai Emery final time period after scoring 4 targets and registering 5 assists in 28 league outings from his defensive berth, having additionally been a part of the aspect that reached the final 4 of the Champions League.
The £65k-per-week maestro – who has chipped in with three purpose involvements in 12 appearances for the Yellow Submarine this season – will little doubt have caught the attention of Orta and co on account of his breathtaking pace, having beforehand been in comparison with Wales icon Gareth Bale for that working energy up to now.
The highly-rated “machine” – as described by Simon Harrison – would absolutely add notable high quality to Jesse Marsch’s ranks at Elland Highway, with that emphasised by the truth that the previous Actual Betis loanee shares a variety of stylistic and statistical similarities to Tottenham Hotspur’s Ivan Perisic, as per FBref.
That likeness is evidenced by the truth that not solely do the 2 males usually function on the left flank, however they’re additionally related of their want to influence play within the closing third, with Pedraza rating within the high 2% in Europe amongst these in his place for touches within the attacking penalty space, whereas Perisic ranks within the high 1% in that regard.
That attacking menace can be illustrated by the truth that the later man ranks within the high 10% for non-penalty targets, whereas the Villarreal star ranks within the high 3% for a similar metric, proving himself one thing of a weapon from open play.
Such a comparability is noteworthy on account of the influence that the Spurs man has made within the Premier League in current months, with the veteran Croatian having settled swiftly in Antonio Conte’s aspect, recording a powerful tally of seven assists in simply 22 video games for the membership so far.
To suppose that Leeds may land their very own model of the 33-year-old within the type of Pedraza is little doubt an intriguing prospect for Orta and co, with the hope being that the previous Spain U21 worldwide can seal a return to Elland Highway within the close to future.
