Leeds United news: Three contenders vying to fill the void left by Crysencio Summerville
Former Leeds United star Crysencio Summerville tore Championship defences apart last season, scoring 20 goals and providing nine assists in 46 games.
However, the Dutch winger broke Leeds United fans’ hearts in the summer, leaving Elland Road for West Ham United for a reported fee of around £25 million.
The club brought in Belgian winger Largie Ramazani, who scored his first goal against Cardiff last weekend, and held onto Wilfried Gnonto by extending his contract until 2028.
But can they both replicate the goal contributions Summerville provided out wide last year, or will it be someone else?
Sports News Blitz writer Harry Whitfield evaluates each of their chances this season.
Largie Ramazani
Arguably the biggest signing of the summer transfer window for Leeds, there are a lot of expectations for Ramazani to perform this season.
Arriving from Almeria, he has never reached double figures in goals in a single season, so playing in the Championship could be the perfect platform for him to have a breakout season.
As shown by his goal against Cardiff, Ramazani has pace and times his runs well in behind the opposition defence.
He should have scored another goal when Gnonto played an incisive pass into his feet but he could only hit it straight at the goalkeeper.
The 23-year-old needs to be more clinical, as well as the entire Leeds attack, if he wants to score as many as Summerville.
However, even though he doesn't cut inside and curl it in top bins like Summerville did, he gets in behind more which could be lethal on the counter-attack.
Where he might struggle is when Leeds are facing teams who like to sit back and there is little space in behind.
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Wilfried Gnonto
Gnonto had to win the faith of Leeds fans back last season after his move to Everton never materialised but he had an okay season, scoring eight goals.
Surely the Italian will want more, though, as there is a chance this season for him to become the club’s main man.
We already know that he possesses great skill, he is hard to knock off the ball once he gets going but the one thing he has lacked since being at Leeds is consistency with his finishing.
Gnonto is always a threat in games, but he seems to miss a few key chances - including the one against Burnley which could have levelled the game.
His final ball is also not always great - and one goal and no assists in six games is not the start he would have been looking for.
I’d still back him to be one of the top goal contributors for the club, but if he wants to be the main talisman he needs to improve his finishing.
Daniel James
Dan James has been great for Leeds since he decided to stay after his loan spell with Fulham. He performed consistently well last season, scoring 13 times and assisting seven times in 40 Championship games.
The Welshman has already been sidelined with an injury, but in the last game before his hamstring issue, he impressed with a cool finish past Sheffield Wednesday keeper James Beadle with a deft chip.
If that is a sign of what is to come this season, James could be pivotal in securing promotion to the Premier League this season.
He has always been great at crossing which could rack his assists up if Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe get on the end of them more.
James is a quick, calm, and composed finisher - but he’ll just need to stay fit if he is to be the main guy this season.
When he returns, he should start to rack up the goal contributions and build on what he achieved last campaign in the Championship.
Therefore he is my top candidate to replicate what Summerville did for the team last season.
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