"Getting rid of Victor Orta" - Leeds United recruitment strategy lauded ahead of January transfer window | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit discussed the club's recruitment approach

Leeds United have been praised for their recruitment strategy amid wholesale personnel changes both on and off-the-pitch in recent times.

There has been significant transformation at Elland Road ever since Leeds' relegation from the Premier League in May 2023. The Whites are now under new ownership, of course, while the playing squad is of a vastly different make-up and the backroom structure has changed tenfold.

Leeds have largely weathered the storm, though, and are kicking on in spite of such sweeping changes from all angles. After agonisingly missing out on an immediate promotion back to the promised land by losing to Southampton in last season's play-off final, Daniel Farke's side look capable of going all the way at the second time of asking.

They find themselves firmly locked in the Championship title race alongside Sheffield United and Burnley, and you would have to say their chances of returning to the top-flight are appearing increasingly favourable. Leeds were dealt with adversity back in the summer as they ultimately proved powerless to prevent wholesale high-profile departures in the wake of their play-off heartache, with Georginio Rutter, Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Glen Kamara all sealing top-flight moves throughout the off-season.

However, they're successfully offsetting those exits at this moment in time.

Leeds United praised for recruitment strategy

We asked our Whites fan pundit, Kris Smith, how he feels about his club's transfer recruitment team and if they are identifying talent and players well enough. Leeds decided to cast their recruitment net overseas in the summer by striking deals for Isaac Schmidt, Ao Tanaka and Largie Ramazani, and the latter two have been resounding successes this term.

Coupled with a generally-positive window in the summer of 2023, which saw the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Joel Piroe and Kamara arrive in West Yorkshire, Kris has lauded his side's recruitment approach.

"Leeds have undergone a lot of change in the recruitment sector since relegation, obviously getting rid of Victor Orta and replacing him with a much wider range of personnel," Kris told Football League World.

"I think that's benefitted us a lot. The issue that we've got is we've undergone a lot of change this season as well, with the technical director and head of recruitment both leaving after fairly-brief periods here.

"But despite all this change, with signings that we've made since relegation, I don't think there's any reason for Leeds fans to not be confident in the current setup of getting the right signings in the door. We've done really well to steady the ship and be one of the best teams in the Championship, despite losing all these players.

"Whether or not we'll be active in January is another debate. Based on what Farke's saying, we're not going to be really busy, but should the club decide to identify targets in the meantime anyway, I think the scouting setup and recruitment structure we have should give fans a lot of faith either way if we do dip into the market.

"When you look at the signings we've made to replace the likes of Gray, Rutter, Summerville and Kamara all leaving in the summer, you would say we're a better and all-round more balanced team than last season's that missed out on promotion, and that's a testament to the people who are calling the shots with these transfers."

Leeds United deserve immense credit for Ao Tanaka transfer deal

Leeds' summer window was positive in the context of the wholesale departures which they inevitably contended with, but the business conducted in order to strike what's now an undoubted bargain deal for Tanaka stands above all else.

The Japanese international midfielder arrived from Fortuna Düsseldorf for a reported fee of just £2.95 million, which has been made to look an absolute snip. That's because Tanaka has not only proved to be Leeds' standout performer, but quite arguably the finest midfielder throughout the Championship - and by some distance, the Elland Road faithful will contend.

His intelligence, composure and passing range are all unmatched qualities in the heart of Leeds' midfield and he's been integral to the way in which Farke's side have dictated the tempo in the majority of their matches, meaning it's no surprise the 26-year-old is already a firm fan favourite.

Tanaka is visibly far, far too good for the Championship, and Leeds pulled a rabbit out of the hat by getting that deal over the line at a relatively-small expense. The gravity of talent identification and the shrewd business to broker the deal for under £3 million are both indicative of Leeds' improvement on the recruitment front, and supporters will hope for more deals of this ilk in the not-too-distant future.