Largie Ramazani has been chosen as the man to replace Crysencio Summerville at Leeds United.
Summerville’s move to West Ham United almost three weeks ago has left a gaping hole in Leeds’ squad which has finally been filled by Ramazani’s £10 million move from UD Almeria.
Ramazani flew over from Spain to Leeds last night and has undergone a medical today, and could be in the squad that faces Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night, providing his registration was done in time.
The 23-year-old certainly has some big shoes to fill with Summerville having won the Championship’s POTS for 2023/24 with 19 goals and nine assists in the league.
Based on some of his highlight reels, though, he certainly looks as though he has the confidence and ability to do exactly that.
La Liga expert shares Ramazani verdict
LeedsUnited.News have spoken exclusively to GRV Media’s La Liga expert Rahul Lakhani regarding Ramazani’s move to Elland Road, and he certainly had plenty of positive things to say.
Q – What are his strengths and weaknesses?
A – “Ramazani’s most noticeable strength is his speed. His deadly pace makes him a huge threat when running in behind, and both of his La Liga goals against Real Madrid came as a result of his ability to separate himself from defenders to find space to shoot.
“He is a skilful player, and can also create chances rather than being a pure outlet. He has a lot of potential to explode in front of goal purely through his speed and finishing ability.
“His main weakness is his consistency. At his best, Ramazani has terrorised some top-quality defences in La Liga, and defending against him can be a nightmare at times, but throughout his time in Spain he has not shown his best form over a sustained period.
“There is also a problem when it comes to his discipline. Ramazani was sent off twice last season. In a 0-0 draw with Athletic Club, he received a second yellow at the start of the second half for pulling down an attacking player recklessly, in a foul which was branded “childish” by his manager Gaizka Garitano.
“He was also sent off against Villarreal near the end of last season, and embarked on a furious rant at the referee, for which he earned a five-game suspension, and this is something he must work on.”
Q – Can he replace Summerville?
A – “Stylistically, Ramazani feels a natural fit to replace Summerville, as a right-footed left-winger who brings blistering pace to the attack. However, Summerville’s end product last season was a lot better than what Ramazani has shown in La Liga.
“It is somewhat unfair to judge his goal record from last season. Almeria were a complete mess for the entire campaign, but they were arguably robbed in their brightest performance as they lost 3-2 to Real Madrid in the final minute, after also having a goal controversially disallowed. Ramazani opened the scoring in the first minute and caused a lot of trouble for Dani Carvajal.
“Despite being slightly older, Ramazani’s campaign last season is comparable to Summerville’s from two seasons ago. He was in and out of the starting XI in a team below the level of the rest of the league, and moving to a side that will no doubt see more of the ball could help him improve his output.”
Q – Can he adapt to the physicality of the Championship?
A – “Ramazani’s speed alone should help him settle well in the Championship. He is an athletic player and not one who I would be concerned about on a physical level.
“In terms of ability, he shone in the Spanish Segunda Division in the 2021-22 season, but was more inconsistent in the top flight. Joining a side who are expected to be at the top end of the Championship could be his ideal level – he will have better players around him and being on the winning side much more often should help his confidence.”
Q – Is £10m value for money?
A – “Almeria are often good at selling, with Darwin Nunez and Umar Sadiq leaving for huge fees in the past.
“Given that Ramazani is in the final year of his deal, this feels slightly above his value. This will make him Almeria’s fourth-highest sale in club history, and they rejected 6m Euros from FC Nantes for him last year.
“Ramazani is talented and does have potential, and if he settles well, then £10m could look like a bargain. However, given his contract status, at a side relegated from La Liga last year, this feels like a great financial deal from an Almeria point of view.”
You can view his Twitter account @LaLigaLondon for more content surrounding the Spanish first tier.
- READ MORE: Leeds United interested in signing lightening fast Tottenham attacker before deadline day
Our verdict on Ramazani’s move to Leeds
Based on everything said by Rahul, as well as clips circulating of him in action on social media, Ramazani looks like a very exciting signing for Leeds.
Given he was in such a poor Almeria side last season, the fact he scored both home and away against Real Madrid is a testament to how good he can be at his best.
Clearly based on his goal record and what Rahul has said there may be some issues regarding consistency, but that is the exact same boat Summerville was in 12 months ago.
His pace and creativity look as though it could provide Leeds’ struggling attack with the X-Factor it has been missing.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
