Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is aiming to guide the team to safety in the Premier League on the other side of the last international break of the season.
The Whites have seven matches left to play in the top-flight and are currently four points clear of West Ham United, who are in the final relegation spot.
Marcelo Bielsa led the club to a top-half finish in the 2020/21 Premier League season after winning the second tier title the previous campaign, with the likes of Raphinha, Patrick Bamford, and Kalvin Phillips spearheading that side.
One of the more underappreciated stars of that team, mainly because of the high-profile status of a star like Raphinha, was versatile midfielder Stuart Dallas.
The Northern Ireland international scored eight goals in 38 Premier League games, whilst playing at right-back, left-back, central midfield, attacking midfield, and right midfield.
Leeds have unearthed their next Stuart Dallas
Farke has now unearthed his own version of Dallas in versatile full-back James Justin, who was signed from Leicester City for a fee of £10m in the last summer transfer window.
The former England international has been a Swiss Knife for the German head coach throughout the Premier League season, playing in a host of different roles and formations.
Justin has started 14 of his 22 appearances in the division this term, having started the campaign as a back-up option, and has produced one goal and one assist in that time.
The 28-year-old defender has played at right-back, centre-back, left-back, left midfield, and right midfield for Leeds this season, which means that he has played in as many positions (five) as Dallas did in the 2020/21 campaign for Bielsa.
|
James Justin this season |
|
|---|---|
|
Position |
Games |
|
RB |
10 |
|
CB |
6 |
|
RM |
4 |
|
LM |
3 |
|
LB |
2 |
Justin has been a phenomenal addition to the squad because of the quality and versatility that he has brought to the pitch in the Premier League, as he looks like the club’s new version of Dallas.
However, Farke once had another Leeds star who looked like another version of the Northern Irish talent, and he has since gone on to be worth more than every single player at Elland Road.
The former Elland Road star who is worth more than every Leeds player
Per Transfermarkt, Anton Stach and Ethan Ampadu are the two most valuable players in the current Leeds squad with a market value of around £22m, whilst Justin is valued at £10m.
In the summer of 2024, the Whites sold versatile star Archie Gray to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, shortly after failing to earn promotion to the top-flight via the play-offs, losing to Southampton at Wembley in the final.
He was one of a number of players who opted to leave Elland Road after that disappointment, alongside Georginio Rutter, Glen Kamara, and Crysencio Summerville.
During his one full season of first-team football at Elland Road, in the 2023/24 campaign, Gray played as a right-back, defensive midfielder, central midfielder, and attacking midfielder.
Since signing for Spurs, Gray has played as a right-back, centre-back, left-back, defensive midfielder, central midfielder, and as a right midfielder, showcasing his versatility in both the Championship and the Premier League.
|
Archie Gray’s career |
|
|---|---|
|
Position |
Games |
|
RB |
41 |
|
CM |
39 |
|
DM |
24 |
|
CB |
20 |
|
AM |
9 |
|
LB |
7 |
|
RM |
3 |
|
CF |
2 |
|
LM |
1 |
The 20-year-old talent had the versatility and quality to become the club’s new Dallas in the making at Elland Road, but he only played in the first-team for one season before his move to North London in 2024.
Gray has made 78 first-team appearances for Tottenham to date, 26 more than he made for Leeds, and has produced two goals and two assists in 21 Premier League outings this season.
At the time of his move to Spurs, Transfermarkt valued the England U21 international at roughly £16m. Almost two years later, the versatile star is valued at around £30m by Transfermarkt, a whopping £14m increase in two seasons.
That also makes him more valuable than every single player in the current squad at Elland Road by at least £8m, ahead of the likes of Stach and Ampadu, which speaks to his development since making the move to Tottenham.
It is a shame that Leeds failed to beat Southampton in the play-off final back in 2024 because they could have had their next version of Dallas in the Premier League with Gray, rather than having to wait to bring Justin in.
Farke looks like he’s unearthed a Bamford & Ayling hybrid at Leeds
Daniel Farke looks like he has unearthed a hybrid of Luke Ayling and Joe Rodon for Leeds United.