Leeds dogged pursuance of De Ketelaere may have paid off

22 Jul 2022 07:50 am, by Ellandback1


Good Morning. It's Friday 27th July, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Leeds dogged pursuance of De Ketelaere may have paid off

Leeds dogged pursuance of Charles De Ketelaere may have paid off, after it was revealed that AC Milan Directors Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara returned from Bruges yesterday empty-handed, following extensive face to face talks with their Belgium counterparts. The Serie A Champions have set Club Brugge a deadline of this weekend to accept their €32m (£27.2m) offer, or they will turn their attentions elsewhere! It is believed that Leeds have already had a £31.5m (€37m) bid accepted for the Belgium star. De Ketelaere would prefer a move to the San Siro, yet Victor Orta is remains hopefull a deal can be done to bring him to Elland Road!





Leeds keeping close tabs on Terrier

Leeds Utd scouts have been keeping close tabs on Martin Terrier for several months now, according to 'Athletic' journalist Phil Hay. The 25yo joined Rennes from fellow Ligue 1 outfit Lille, signing a five-year contract worth €12m. Keen not to make the same mistake as they did with Raphinha, club President Nicolas Holveck has recently slapped a £34m price tag on the former French U21 marksman.

Terrier had an outstanding 21/22 season, netting 21 times in 37 appearances, but this was the first time he had set the World alight, and obviously there's a big question mark whether he can do it on a consistent basis. According to Hay...

You’ll have seen them linked with Martin Terrier at Rennes as well. Interesting that one, because we were told a few weeks ago that they’d be analysing him, the Leeds scouting department had been analysing him but weren’t sure and saw him as pretty pricey. He had a very, very hot season for Rennes last season, but it was his first where he really exploded.




Klich enjoying life under Marsch

Sespite signs that there may have been some tension with the new manager at the end of last season, Mateuz Klich says he is enjoying life under Jesse Marsch's reign. The 32 year old Polish International took time out from his preparations to face Crystal Palace (11.05am today UK time) to discuss some of the changes the American has implemented this Summer. Murderball is off the table. Instead, the squad are put through a shorter, more intense workout, aimed at improving their anaerobic performance. Man to man marking has also been replaced, and whilst the squad are all too familiar with the 4/2/3/1 formation, they've also had to grasp Marsch's preferred 4/2/2/2 configuration.

We’ve got some things to work on but I think it’s gone pretty well. I have to say I’ve enjoyed being in Australia, it’s nice. I’ve been in football a long time and it’s not the first time a manager changes so I know how it works. Jesse came with new ideas and we need to do what he expects us to do and what he wants us to do.

It is not man v man marking, that’s the biggest difference, but still he wants to press and play intensive football. Marcelo’s been gone a long time ago so there’s no need to talk about him anymore. The sessions aren’t really long but they are intensive so I have to say I enjoy it because it’s short and sharp. We’ve had good numbers in the friendlies, fitness-wise, I’ve enjoyed pre-season so far.”

I think it’s better to play the good teams rather than having lower league opponents, winning games and going into the season a bit different. It’s been good to play against Premier League teams. I think the pre-season is going well, we lost against Villa but we shouldn’t have lost that game.

I hope we can get the win against Palace and have a good feeling before that Cagliari game and then show our fans that we are ready for the new season. It’s good for the fans to see us here because it’s quite a long journey to our games, but it’s nice to see so many fans and it’s been good to come.



View all Showing latest five comments of eleven...

mentalcase wrote on 22 Jul 2022 01:08 pm

More new staff behind the scenes, more new players, hope everyone settles in asap.

Ellandback1 wrote on 22 Jul 2022 12:35 pm

Article by Phil Hay


Leeds United are set to appoint former Borussia Dortmund assistant Rene Maric as Jesse Marsch’s No 2, The Athletic understands.

Maric is expected to link up with Marsch’s squad next week, completing the backroom team at Elland Road. The 29-year-old has been out of the game since May following his exit from Dortmund alongside the club’s former manager, Marco Rose.

Rose and his staff were dismissed by Dortmund at the end of the Bundesliga season, despite securing a second-place finish in the table. Early exits from the Champions League and the Europa League are thought to have contributed to the decision to replace them.

Despite his young age, Maric has held a number of high-profile roles in European football, including assistant boss at RB Salzburg before Marsch’s appointment there in 2019. The Austrian spent two years with Borussia Monchengladbach between 2019 and 2021, again as Rose’s number two, before following him to Dortmund last summer.

Marsch has taken time to select a new assistant at Leeds having initially targeted fellow American Chris Armas to fill the post. Armas, who was with Ralf Rangnick at Manchester United last season, is understood to have said no to the job for personal reasons.

Maric is now in line to replace Frankie Schiemer, who operated as Leeds’ assistant after Marsch’s arrival at Elland Road in February but has now taken up a consultancy role with the club instead. Mark Jackson and Cameron Toshack, both of whom were with Marsch during the final 12 matches of last season, are continuing in their roles.

Ex-Manchester United employee Ewan Sharp has joined Leeds as an additional coach while Pierre Barrieu — formerly of Swansea City, Sheffield Wednesday and New York Red Bulls — was appointed as fitness coach earlier this month.

Ellandback1 wrote on 22 Jul 2022 12:22 pm

Leeds, really, really need a Striker

BradWhite wrote on 22 Jul 2022 12:16 pm

SG90 wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 11:42 am He never said that. He'll come if Milan can't afford him, which I doubt they can.
I am unaware of him showing much interest in a move to Leeds even though our bid of 35mE is still on the table (+add ons) but that depends on where we get our info from doesn't it, but it does appear that his preference is a Milan move and CL footy.

AC Milan directors Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara had direct meeting in Belgium with Club Brugge for Charles de Ketelaere, described as ‘positive’. Talks will continue in the next hours and days to reach full agreement.
If Milan have no money I'm pretty sure they'll bite our hand off unless like Raphinha he wants to go to his chosen club.
I guess we'll see, money doesn't always talk.

SG90 wrote on 22 Jul 2022 11:42 am

BradWhite wrote: Fri Jul 22, 2022 11:41 am de Ketelaere has no desire to play for Leeds, so why bother chasing him?
I read yesterday that AC Milan director Maldini will fly to Belgium today to sign him for Milan - hopefully end of.
Bamford will be injured soon so best crack on and find a finisher pdq.
He never said that. He'll come if Milan can't afford him, which I doubt they can.