Jaka Bijol has signed for Leeds United and here are three ways Daniel Farke could line up his side with the new defender.
Leeds United have made Jaka Bijol their second signing of the summer transfer window after bringing in Lukas Nmecha on a free.
Bijol cost significantly more, with Leeds paying £18.75m to capture the Slovenian from Serie A side Udinese.
Bijol has signed a five-year contract at Elland Road and becomes Leeds’ first serious first-team improvement as they prepare for the challenging Premier League season to come.
Leeds have a tough task on their hands to buck the trend and avoid relegation but a significant defensive improvement with the arrival of the towering centre-back is a good way to accomplish it.
Bijol also opens up several new tactical options for Daniel Farke and here is how he could line up his starting XI with the new man.
Jaka Bijol fits into a back four
The most obvious use for Bijol in the Leeds side is for him to slot into the back four, even if it means one of Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk or Ethan Ampadu are left on the bench.
Big money hasn’t been spent on Bijol for him to sit in reserve; he is going to become Farke’s first-choice defender.
Though he’s right-footed, Bijol tended to play on the left of the pairing at Udinese so he could easily slot in alongside Rodon, who is surely set to start alongside him after his fantastic, ever-present season.
It just remains to be seen who will be playing at left-back next to Bijol, as a replacement for the outgoing Junior Firpo has yet to be signed.
Leeds United can play a back three after Bijol transfer
Though he has not done so at Leeds yet, Farke might be tempted to change his system to make his side more defensively solid in the Premier League.
The manager utilised the back three on a few occasions at Norwich City and Borussia Mönchengladbach, so he isn’t averse to changing his formation if required.
Doing so would be a double-edged sword for Leeds, as what they would gain in reinforcements at the back, they’d lose in being able to utilise wingers like Dan James and Willy Gnonto on the flanks as they’d likely play more narrowly.
Jayden Bogle and whoever the new left-back ends up being would have even more license to get forward than last season, but Leeds’ attacking might was their best asset and nullifying that would be a risk.
Regardless, with Bijol joining Rodon, Struijk and Ampadu in the centre-back ranks, Farke now has enough options to revert to a back three if needed.
Jaka Bijol can also play in midfield
Though now firmly at home in defence after moving to the position in 2021, Bijol actually started his career as a defensive midfielder and is versatile enough to play several positions.
All 31 of his appearances on loan at Hannover came in midfield, while 47 of his 96 games as CSKA Moscow were in the middle of the park.
In fact, he even played as a striker on nine occasions for CSKA, scoring twice, which might come in handy when Leeds are chasing a late equaliser.
It’s unlikely he’ll be starting up front at Elland Road but his experience as a midfielder could come in very handy if the injury bug strikes again.
With Joe Rothwell and Josuha Guilavogui departing, Leeds only have Ampadu, Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev as midfield options at present.
Recruitments are expected in the position but having Bijol as a capable backup will be useful and give Farke yet more tactical flexibility.
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