According to Italian outlet Centro Tento, Leeds United are keen on signing Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez this summer in a deal that could be worth £26m.
Nandez looks to be the perfect player for Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds, and this is a move that United fans should be incredibly excited about.
The Uruguayan has some of the most important attributes needed to be a success under Bielsa, and one of those is certainly his versatility.
We’ve seen how important versatility is to be a key player in the Argentine’s side. Stuart Dallas has arguably been Leeds’ Player of the Season, while Luke Ayling’s ability to play in two positions has made him a vital component in Bielsa’s side over the last three seasons.
Nandez has played in no fewer than seven different positions this term according to WhoScored, including as a wing-back, a wide midfielder and a central midfielder.
While Nandez has Dallas-esque versatility, it’s his energy and commitment that makes him a truly perfect fit in Bielsa’s system, playing with the tenacity you’d expect to see from Kalvin Phillips in the heart of the Whites’ midfield.
The fact that the Uruguayan has averaged 1.7 tackles per game while also picking up 22 yellow cards over the last two seasons tells you all you need to know about his tenacity.
He’s a typical Uruguayan, possessing the legendary ‘Garra Charrua’ that is instilled in players from that part of the world.
Garra Charrua is a phrase stemming from Uruguay describing the heart and desire that players from that part of the world have on the pitch.
Diego Forlan perhaps best described the phrase, saying: “It’s like when you don’t have that last breath but you always want to give more. Sometimes, in the last minute, against big teams, you never expect to have the chance to win, but there is that Garra that everyone talks about. in Uruguay.”
Doesn’t that sound like exactly what Bielsa has instilled in this Leeds team?
Nandez himself has proudly stated that he has the ‘Garra Charrua’, and it’s that sort of heart and desire that is needed to be a success at Bielsa’s Leeds.
The Cagliari ace sounds like a hybrid of Stuart Dallas and Kalvin Phillips, and we can’t imagine that there are many players in the world who’d fit Bielsa’s system more perfectly.
It’s should come as no surprise that the Argentine has wanted him at Elland Road since 2019, and if he lands him, he could be a revelation at Leeds.
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