Prutton: Leeds should target “top-end” players like Derby signed last summer

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David Prutton thinks the way Derby acted in the transfer market last summer is what Leeds should look to do this year.

Leeds United can learn a lot from the team who denied them all three points in the Championship this week thanks to an injury-time equaliser from Kasey Palmer, believes David Prutton.

The Whites twice went ahead at the iPro Stadium but twice Derby County pegged them back as Paul Heckingbottom still waits for his first win since being named manager.

Derby are currently fourth in the table and five points off Cardiff City and automatic promotion to the Premier League after a decent season so far under Gary Rowett.

Around this time last year Rowett was named Rams boss following the sacking of Steve McClaren and Prutton – who spent three years as a player at Elland Road – believes the work the 43-year-old did in the transfer market last summer is something Heckingbottom should look to emulate this time around.

“What helped at Derby, I think, was that Gary was allowed not only to come up with his ideas but to implement them fully. He had the money to sign Curtis Davies, Tom Huddlestone, Tom Lawrence, Joe Ledley and latterly Cameron Jerome,” the former midfielder wrote in his Yorkshire Evening Post column.

“Those are top-end signings in the Championship and Derby have been a top-end club since August. However the season ends for them, I don’t imagine we’ll hear Gary complaining about a failure by the club to back him.

“At Leeds, Paul needs the same support. I’m not saying he should have sole responsibility for transfers because Leeds, with Victor Orta as director of football, don’t work like that anymore and Paul said himself that he lacked the right infrastructure for recruitment at Barnsley, but I’m absolutely sure he needs to lead on signings to some degree.”

After a strong start to the season under head coach Thomas Christiansen the Yorkshire club fell away after a drop in form that cost the Dane his job.

Heckingbottom has since taken charge after leaving Barnsley for the post and with 13 matches remaining Leeds are eight points off the playoffs in 11th place.