Leeds United Opinion: Romaine Sawyers could bring that X-Factor to Bielsa’s midfield
According to the Daily Record, Leeds United have joined the race to sign midfielder Romaine Sawyers from Brentford, with reports claiming that Whites manager Marcelo Bielsa is keen to bring the 27-year-old to Elland Road this summer.
Leeds are not the only club to have been credited with an interest in Sawyers, though, with the Daily Record suggesting that Scottish champions Celtic, as well as Championship outfits Stoke City and West Brom, are interested in the St.Kitts and Nevis international.
The Daily Record understands that Sawyers, who is currently Brentford’s club-captain, is valued at around £2.5 million by the Bees.
Leeds have already sold Swedish centre-back Pontus Jansson to the West London outfit and they look set to do some more fruitful business with the Bees this summer before the transfer deadline in August, albeit the Whites would need to fend off interest from Celtic, Stoke and West Brom in their pursuit of the versatile midfielder.
Marcelo Bielsa has already set the ball rolling in the transfer window with the loan acquisitions of Helder Costa and Ben White from Wolves and Brighton respective, whilst Carlisle United teenager Liam McCarron has also been brought in for a thrifty amount.
Man City winger Jack Harrison is back for a second consecutive loan spell at Elland Road but the Argentine is seemingly in the market for a few more additions, with a new central attacking midfielder believed to be high on his wishlist ahead of the upcoming season.
Samu Saiz played a key role in Leeds’ promotion-push in the first half of the previous campaign but their hopes fell apart following the Spaniard’s departure to Getafe on loan in January. Although he is currently back at Elland Road, the 28-year-old’s future at West Yorkshire continues to be up in the air, as he looks to have his heart set on a move back to his homeland.
Mateusz Klich and Adam Forshaw, who were amongst the mainstays of the first-team last season, are expected to continue at Elland Road, although Kalvin Phillips is currently a hot property in the market following his impressive displays in the previous campaign.
To put things into perspective, Leeds United’s interest in Romaine Sawyers comes as little surprise and the club’s links with the 27-year-old should receive a warm round of applause from the fans at Elland Road. The Brentford ace has been a revelation in the Championship since his move to Griffin Park from League One outfit Walsall back in 2016 and it is easy to see that he would be a good fit for any promotion-chasing side in the second tier.
Sawyers accumulated 6 assists in 42 appearances for the Bees in the Championship this past season, returns which are quite decent considering the fact that manager Thomas Frank constantly rotated him between defensive, central and attacking roles in the middle of the park.
The 27-year-old is about to enter his prime years as a footballer and the £2.5 million valuation seems to be a kind of bargain in today’s market where money flows so easily.
Sawyers, who has amassed 8 goals and 20 assists in 135 appearances for Brentford in all competitions, is noted for his wonderful range of passing, high work-rate, clever movement, ability to break up the play and carry the ball forward with pace.
Furthermore, his eye for through balls and key passes in the final third make him a potent goal threat and Leeds should cherish the prospect of having a goalscoring midfielder in their ranks.
Having failed to secure a much-awaited return to the Premier League last season, Leeds will be expected to reignite their surge for promotion in the Championship once again next term and new additions could prove to be a deciding factor. Romaine Sawyers has shown enough promise and he wouldn’t be a gamble for the Whites at that price.
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That said, the Yorkshire giants should do everything in their power to beat off competition for the 27-year-old and wrap up a deal at the earliest to boost their chances of promotion.