Good Morning. It's Friday 14th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Leeds plot capture of tough tackler Dennis Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Nigerian midfielder Anthony Dennis from Göztepe in the Turkish Super Lig. The 20-year-old has caught the eye with his tenacious performances, leading to comparisons with Premier League midfielders Carlos Baleba of Brighton and Wilfried Ndidi, formerly of Leicester City. While Baleba is known for his forward drives and Ndidi for his box-to-box capabilities, Dennis's similarities to these players lie primarily in his tackling prowess. He excels at winning the ball back for his team. If the speculation is true, it is likely to spell the end for Ilea Gruev! Dennis's tackling stats are impressive. He currently tops the charts at Göztepe with 2.5 tackles per game. This highlights his commitment to winning possession, a trait highly valued in a defensive midfielder. However, a high tally of eight yellow cards from just 21 Super Lig starts suggests there is still room for improvement in his timing and discipline. He is also yet to reach the levels of tackling seen by Tyler Adams during his time at Elland Road and later at Bournemouth. The reported fee of just £4.2 million makes Dennis an attractive prospect for several clubs across Europe, including Bundesliga side Stuttgart. This relatively low price tag offers a potentially cost-effective solution to strengthen the midfield. The interest in Anthony Dennis also comes amidst speculation surrounding a possible return of Kalvin Phillips to Elland Road, a move that could cost around £20 million. please log in to view this image Ten off on International duty Despite the Championship season in full swing, several Leeds United players are set to represent their nations during the upcoming international break. A mix of established internationals and emerging talents will be hoping to make their mark on the world stage. One of the more surprising potential call-ups is that of Isaac Schmidt for Switzerland. According to Swiss media outlet 'Blick', despite being third-choice at Leeds and yet to start a Championship game, the 25yo is in line to be selected by Switzerland boss Murat Yakin. Yakin is reportedly looking to experiment during this international window. Adding to the Leeds-related interest for Swiss fans, Alvyn Sanches, a reported Leeds transfer target after a strong season with Lausanne, could also receive a call-up. Wales has called upon a trio of Leeds players in Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, and Dan James for their upcoming matches against Kazakhstan and North Macedonia. Meanwhile, Junior Firpo faces a considerable journey as he joins the Dominican Republic squad, and Ao Tanaka will be linking up with the Japanese national team. Ilia Gruev returns to the Bulgarian national team for the first time since September. An injury kept him out of contention for the October and November fixtures. On the other hand, Brenden Aaronson will not be involved in the USA's international commitments this time around. Further afield, Manor Solomon is anticipated to receive a call-up for Israel, while Mateo Joseph and Wilfried Gnonto are expected to continue their development with the Spain and Italy U21 squads, respectively. This international break presents opportunities for these Leeds players to gain valuable experience, showcase their abilities, and potentially return to Elland Road with renewed confidence and form. It also provides a chance for fans to support their favorite players on the international stage and track the progress of potential future signings. please log in to view this image
A very positive post Ell, But argh! I'll be the negative Nellie. It's also a chance for them to get knackered and injured. They need to develop short lasting minor niggles like a lot of PL players seem to do when international duty looms.
The international break is a disaster at this point or Leeds. A chance to further tire or knacker players. No other clubs has near the involvement and indeed I doubt first our teams after the break have barely any internationals. Re Gruev, if promoted he'd have to be one of the first out the door. Nothing against the lad but he's championship standard like an air ew more. Of course well still hold on to Paddy for his invaluable pl and England experience
Credit where it’s due though. At least Barndoor made himself unavailable for international breaks over the last two years. Good to see him put club before country
I’d agree for friendlies but for the Welsh boys at least these are World Cup qualifiers and they will want to play for their country at the competition. The problem is the timing, right at the business end of the season.
Right after the international break is where we went downhill last season. We're doomed laddie, doomed!
4 pts from Watford away and Hull at home was alright. I'd say we went downhill after Easter. Thankfully Easter is later this year!
