Leeds United have made their first signing of the transfer window, bringing in related young Chelsea starlet Lewis Baker on loan. Rumour are that the Blues stopper Jamal Blackman is soon to follow in his teammate’s footsteps – others cited to follow.
That’s it with this part of the off-season, names are flying around like scraps of paper in the wind and the slightest lull causes much excitement as the scraps flutter close to one team or another.
The Whites have been linked heavily with strikers Matej Vydra (Derby County) and Abel Hernandez (free agent), but, as of now, they are just ‘links’ and not signings. Another player ‘linked’ with United remains somewhat of a mystery.
It doesn’t take much to stir Leeds United fans into something resembling a frothing mass, and something like this from the reliable Alan Nixon is just the catalyst that is needed. Marcelo Bielsa’s appointment, and his favoured 3-3-1-3 formation was always going to need signings to create a squad capable of playing this high-press, fluid style of football.
Left-back is a position that really hasn’t been nailed down at Leeds United for the past two seasons. Charlie Taylor made it his own after taking over from Stephen Warnock, with Gaetano Berardi then deputising when Taylor was injured. Berardi is a right-back by trade but more than adequately filled in on the other side of the field
Belgian Laurens De Bock was brought in last season, but a drop in form and injury didn’t allow him to stake his claim with any degree of certainty. Then youngster Tom Pearce had a run at the end of the season, promising much and showing real potential that forced to club to offer the former Everton youth player a longer deal.
Now, Nixon’s tweet is always going to get people talking, and the talk that is going around in some quarters is that the ‘mystery’ target is Bristol City’s 24-year-old left-back Joe Bryan.
Understand that a #BristolCity player is close to completing a move to another Championship club. Bit of a surprise this. Talks ongoing but should be wrapped up over the weekend. Full details to come once it’s done.
— Gregor MacGregor (@GeeMacGee) June 30, 2018
Tweets such as the one above from Bristol Live’s Gregor MacGregor add a soupçon more intrigue to the cooking pot. Nixon’s blank canvas of a “new left-back. Championship experience,” was enough to stir interest, MacGregor’s tweet simply amplifies that interest.
Already this had led some Leeds United fans to comment about Joe Bryan and, in all honesty, begin to hope that their wishes are true and that the Bristol-born Scot will be signing on the dotted line at Elland Road.
The first up is one from a Bristol City fan.
If it’s Joe Bryan to Leeds I’m gunna lose my shit
— Andrew (@lfurbi_) June 30, 2018
Leeds United fans are also commenting, perhaps realising that left-back is a position that is a problem at the club.
Joe Bryan to Leeds? @PhilHayYEP ? @reluctantnicko said laid night a LB with Champ experience was on cards
— Gary LUFC (@Gary_Calter) June 30, 2018
Bryan to Leeds 🙏
— Adam Clarke (@AdamClarke19) June 30, 2018
In a way, should the price be acceptable, then bringing in Joe Bryan would be something that should be readily applauded by Leeds United fans. He featured in 43 of the Robins’ 46 games from the Championship last season. In total he made 48 appearances last time out (five in the Carabao Cup) and scored seven goals (five in the Championship/two in the Carabao Cup).
These goals are something that an attack-minded, pressing Leeds United under Bielsa would be looking out for. The Argentine coaching legend favours players who can segue from one position to another as defence turns to a more attacking phase. Joe Bryan can definitely add that aspect to Leeds United’s play.
Bryan played 30 of those games in his usual left-back role, scoring three times and adding a further two assists. However, and more importantly, he also operated 16 times on the left of Bristol City’s midfield, scoring four times and adding a single assist.
It is this versatility, this ability to seamlessly switch from one position to another that would fit so well in Marcelo Bielsa’s philosophy for the upcoming campaign.
