Championship promotion hopefuls Leeds United are reportedly keen to sign Ibai Gomez from La Liga high-flyers Alaves.
Pablo Hernandez did not wait around to show Leeds United fans what they had been missing when he returned from injury last week.
The Spanish schemer returned to action in fine style, inspiring the 2-0 win against Ipswich Town after spending almost two months on the sidelines with injury. Quite simply, Leeds do not look the same team without Hernandez, whose vision, skill and impressive end product makes him arguably the Championship’s standout attacking player.
But could Leeds sign someone who could rival Hernandez as the best player at Leeds, perhaps even the Championship as a whole?
Goal reported last week that Marcelo Bielsa is keen to reunite with his former Athletic Bilbao winger Ibai Gomez, with the Whites apparently confident of signing him from Alaves.
Ibai has been one of the standout players anywhere in La Liga this season. He has scored three goals, including a stunning brace away at Rayo Vallecano, to help Alaves up to second in a remarkable start to the campaign.
28-year-old Ibai, like compatriot Hernandez, is a player blessed with the ability to create something out of very little and turn a game with a piece of wonderful craft and mesmeric vision.
Leeds have won just three out of ten Championship games, most of those coming in Hernandez’s absence, and Ibai’s arrival could give Bielsa that extra spark of quality that turns those frustrating draws into wins.
In short, there is no attacking player in the Championship with the same natural quality.
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