A deal to bring David Stockdale to Leeds United is now at a crossroads. Leeds want him for a season, probably to see if the player is worth the wages he wants and it makes sense before committing to a longer term deal. Can Leeds secure David Stockdale?
Leeds United are pushing for an answer after submitting an offer for Birmingham City goalkeeper David Stockdale, reports @PhilHayYEP. #lufc https://t.co/CN5ctcSPJc
— Leeds United News (@LeedsUnitedYEP) June 27, 2018
Stockdale is one of Leeds’ top targets this summer but a deal is complicated for the player who is on big money. When buying a player such as Matej Vydra it’s simple, you pay the money you get the striker and he’ll most probably score you the goals. When signing goalkeepers it isn’t as straight forward. By signing a keeper such as Stockdale you have to be careful, Birmingham have made him train with the youth team and want his wages off the books…for what reason?
He’s a very good goalkeeper but a permanent deal would mean a longer term contact, a loan gives Leeds the option to assess him and decide whether to pursue a deal again next summer depending on his success and the clubs season.
The emergence of Baily Peacock-Farrell makes Marcelo Bielsa and indeed the clubs situation a lot easier because the pressure to bring in another keeper isn’t as much as it would have been. I guess the question is if we do sign Stockdale what then for Peacock-Farrell? Maybe the loan deal for Stockdale is actually to give the youngster another year of development on loan elsewhere and then come back as the number one?
Is he already good enough? In many’s opinion yes but there is only one option that will ultimately make that call and it’s Marcelo Bielsa’s. We have already seen a few players training with the under 23’s this week including Yoskuke Ideguchi and Matesuz Klich. Indeed there were only 12 first-team players in the session this afternoon at Thorp Arch.
