Leeds United signing Samu Saiz for third of Yannis Salibur’s price-tag proving a masterstoke

Follow us on Google Discover

Samu Saiz has enjoyed an outstanding start to life at Leeds United and did not cost the world either.

The fact that Leeds United paid just £3 million, pocket change in today’s market, to sign Samuel Saiz from Spanish second tier side Huesca is a credit to the new scouting team headlined by director of football Victor Orta, per the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Ever since exploding onto the scene with a clinical debut hat-trick against Port Vale in the EFL Cup, the attacking midfielder has looked worth every penny and is an early contender for the bargain of the season.

And, when you consider that another attacking midfielder heavily linked with a move to Elland Road since the summer of 2016 was valued at three times as much, the deal to bring the hitherto unknown Saiz to West Yorkshire looks even more inspired.

According to L’Equipe, Leeds made an offer to sign Salibur last summer, and with reports suggesting that the Whites still held an interest this summer, it would have cost a mammoth fee to bring the 26-year-old to Elland Road.

Back in January, Hull City had agreed a fee of £9 million to bring Salibur to the KCom Stadium as a possible replacement for Robert Snodgrass (BBC), although the attacker eventually remained with Ligue 1 outfit Guingamp.

And with Leeds looking to enhance their options in attacking midfield after becoming over reliant on Pablo Hernandez last season, Salibur’s name once again cropped up in discussions.

However, though the powerful, dynamic midfielder scored eight goals in a hugely impressive Ligue 1 season, he would have taken up a large proportion of Leeds’ transfer budget.

Saiz, on the other hand, arrived while barely making a dent in owner Andrea Radrizzani’s bank balance. And it is this eye for a bargain that could make Leeds genuine promotion contenders this season.