Leeds United have lost two of their key players from the 2023/24 campaign since they failed to earn promotion back up to the Premier League.
Glen Kamara recently completed a move to Ligue 1 side Rennes after one year at Elland Road, following his switch from Rangers last summer.
The Whites also cashed in on versatile starlet Archie Gray. Top-flight side Tottenham Hotspur swooped in to secure his services for a reported fee of £40m.
At the age of 18, Gray is full of potential and could develop in the years to come. However, in the here and now, Leeds could land an upgrade on him by signing one of their reported transfer targets.
Leeds learn price for Championship enforcer
According to the B
The report claims that the Black Cats are not interested in cashing in on their star defender and will not entertain any offers unless they meet their demands.
It adds that they have already turned down a bid of £7m from Turkish giants Galatasaray for the right-back, which shows that they are serious about keeping hold of him.
elfast Telegraph, Sunderland are set to demand a fee within the region of £10m for Northern Ireland international Trai Hume.
The Belfast Telegraph adds that Leeds, Aston Villa, Napoli, and Bournemouth are among the other clubs to have been linked with the full-back.
Daniel Farke must now encourage the board to splash some of the £40m that was received for Gray to secure a deal for Hume, as he could be an immediate upgrade on the teenager at right-back.
Why Trai Hume could be an upgrade on Archie Gray
The former Leeds star spent the majority of last season in a right-back position, away from his natural role in midfield, and that is a role in which the Sunderland ace can shine for the Whites.
At the age of 22, Hume is still a young player with room to grow and improve under Farke’s coaching, but he is four years older than Gray and – naturally – a more refined option in the immediate term.
This is reflected in their respective statistics in the Championship for Leeds and Sunderland during the 2023/24 campaign, as the Northern Irishman came out on top in and out of possession.
| 23/24 Championship | Archie Gray | Trai Hume |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 44 | 46 |
| xA | 1.65 | 3.48 |
| Big chances created | 2 | 4 |
| Tackles + interceptions per game | 2.8 | 4.7 |
| Ball recoveries per game | 4.5 | 5.3 |
| Duel success rate | 55% | 58% |
| Stats via Sofascore | ||
As you can see in the table above, the Black Cats star provided more creativity for his team at the top end of the pitch and won the ball back far more frequently with his impressive defensive work.
Hume, who was hailed as “outstanding” by journalist Josh Bunting, also ranked within the top 20% of full-backs in the division for progressive passes per 90 (4.80), whilst Gray ranked in the top 44% with 4.15 progressive passes per 90.
These statistics come together to suggest that the £10m-rated star could offer a greater threat in the final third whilst being more active and more efficient in his defensive work, which could improve Leeds’ defensive record.
Therefore, Hume could come in as an immediate upgrade on Gray due to his proven ability in and out of possession in the Championship, which is why Farke should swoop for him.
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