Leeds United have a busy summer ahead of them as they plot to secure promotion to the Premier League from the Championship at the second time of asking.
The Whites failed to make an instant return to the top-flight, following their relegation last year, as they were beaten 1-0 by Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley last month.
Daniel Farke led his team to a third-placed finish in the league and that meant that they had to go through the play-offs, and they beat Norwich 4-0 over two legs before falling short in the capital.
The German head coach will now have to navigate the upcoming summer transfer window to ensure that his squad is in the best possible position to attack the Championship once again.
Bundesliga side Bayern Munich have been touted with an interest in teen whiz Archie Gray, Wilfried Gnonto is said to be keen on a move to Italy, and forward Crysencio Summerville has been linked with Premier League giants Liverpool.
Central midfielder Ilia Gruev, per TEAMtalk, is also of interest to Borussia Dortmund and the club have placed a price tag of £15m on his head.
This means that Leeds could need a new midfield partner for Glen Kamara, and they are reportedly already in talks with a player who could fulfill that role.
Leeds United in talks to sign £3.4m starlet
According to Italian outlet il Resto del Carlino Sport, via Leeds United News, the Yorkshire-based outfit are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Reggiana attacking midfielder Natan Girma.
The report claims that Italian side Monza alongside English teams Leeds and Watford are all lining up moves to sign the 22-year-old ace, as Farke looks to bolster his options in the middle of the park.
It states that the Hornets and the Whites have already held talks with Reggiana and the player's representatives ahead of a possible summer transfer for the young whiz.
The outlet goes on to add that it could take an offer of up to €4m (£3.4m) to secure his services, and that any bids below €3m will not be considered by the Serie B side.
However, it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds are prepared to pay £3.4m, or a fee within that region, to add the dynamo to their ranks his summer.
If they do decide to push ahead and sign the Swiss maestro then they could land a player who could thrive alongside Kamara in the middle of the park at Elland Road.
Glen Kamara's impressive debut season with Leeds
Farke swooped to sign the Finland international from Scottish giants Rangers ahead of the 2023/24 campaign for a reported fee of around £5m.
The 28-year-old played a crucial role at the base of the midfield for the German head coach as his metronomic play in possession was key to how the team wanted to play.
Leeds looked to dominate the ball and dictate the play by having the majority of the possession, so that they could methodically break down their opponents, as they averaged 58.3% of the ball per game.
Kamara ranked within the top 2% of Championship midfielders for pass accuracy (92.7%), the top 10% for passes attempted per 90 (65.10), and the top 6% for progressive passes per 90 (6.87).
This shows that he was an outstanding passer in the second tier, both in terms of his ability to retain possession at an exceptional rate whilst also being progressive and forward-thinking in his use of the ball.
Minutes played
2,968
7th
Pass accuracy
92.7%
1st
Key passes per game
1.0
4th
Assists
3
5th
Accurate short passes per game
48.6
4th
As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old metronome also ranked highly within the Leeds squad in a number of key in possession metrics.
No one was more efficient than him with the ball at their feet, as shown by his incredible pass accuracy, and he added a creative threat on top of that.
However, Kamara did end the Championship season with zero goals in 40 appearances (including the play-offs), which suggests that there is room to improve on that front.
Why Leeds should sign Natan Girma
Girma could now be brought in to thrive alongside the Finnish whiz as he has the quality to offer a box-to-box presence next to the metronomic former Rangers star.
The 22-year-old talent has the ability to offer a goalscoring threat from the middle of the park, to make up for Kamara's struggles at that part of the game, whilst also providing defensive cover in front of the back four.
Firstly, the £3.4m Leeds target scored five goals in 26 appearances in the Serie B for Reggiana during the 2023/24 campaign, and ranked within the top 14% of his positional peers for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.29).
This suggests that the Swiss wizard, who scored five goals in 21 games for Servette at U21 level, could provide goals from midfield to make up for Kamara's lack of threat in the final third as a finisher.
No central midfielder scored more than one goal in the Championship for the Whites this season, which suggests that Girma could add something that Farke's side desperately lacked.
Alongside his attacking prowess, the former Servette youngster is also an above average defender who can help to win possession back and cut out opposition attacks.
Tackles (2.04)
Top 11%
Interceptions (0.64)
Top 31%
Blocks (1.75)
Top 7%
Clearances (0.99)
Top 35%
Aerial battles won (1.17)
Top 19%
As you can see in the table above, he ranked above average among his positional peers in the Serie B in a variety of key defensive metrics, including tackles, interceptions, and aerial duels won.
These statistics suggest that Girma, who made zero errors that led to shots or goals for the opposition, offers quality in and out of possession for his side.
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The Whites are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal for the young whiz.
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Therefore, he could be the perfect partner for the metronomic Kamara as the Whites target could be a fantastic box-to-box midfielder to complement the Finnish ace's fantastic ball retention and passing quality in midfield.
