Daniel Farke would probably have done his own scouting of signings whilst watching Leeds United games last season.
To see a player flourish against you is frustrating, but it’s also a handy tool to explore their signature further down the line.
Joe Rothwell was certainly someone Farke looked into after his loan spell at Southampton the season before last, as he looked impressive.
Rothwell changed his role for Leeds, and it worked to a tee, but now the 49ers could replicate signings like the midfielder.
This could certainly be the case with one star who will become a free agent on Wednesday, and Leeds need to act quickly.

Leeds United could explore free transfer of Blackburn’s Tyrhys Dolan
It’s become very clear that Leeds need to improve their wingers next season.
The hope was that Manor Solomon would’ve been a quick signing to get sorted, but Solomon is fighting for his place at Tottenham.
Adding to this, Willy Gnonto is known to be unreliable, and Largie Ramazani hasn’t had a real chance under Farke.
Leeds are screaming out for a versatile winger who could cause a lot of problems, and Blackburn’s Tyrhys Dolan could be that option.
Although it’s a Championship buy for the Premier League, the beauty of this deal is that Dolan will be a free agent very soon.
He would likely not be a starter, but to bring the quality of Dolan off the bench in a crucial game in the top flight could be a secret tool Farke uses.
Adding to this, fans should know all too well of Dolan’s expertise, as he proved to be a nightmare to play against last campaign.
READ MORE: Leeds United jump to the front of the queue for £8.5m star to Fulham boss Marco Silva’s dismay
Tyrhys Dolan was ‘outstanding’ against Leeds United last season
The electric winger has been a threat for Blackburn for the last four seasons, as since breaking through the Rovers academy, he’s been a menace.
Leeds fans will know all too well about the 23-year-old for the 23/24 season, as Dolan got a pictureesque assists for Sammie Szmodics to ruin the Whites’ promotion hopes of that campaign.
But it was last season where he really made himself known as Blackburn beat Leeds 1-0, but it wasn’t only his performance that caught the eye as Dolan should’ve been sent off for fouling Junior Firpo.
Nevertheless, the winger was in a class of his own at Ewood Park back in November, and Firpo had a rough afternoon to say the least.
| Dolan’s statistics for Blackburn in 1-0 win over Leeds (30/11/24) | |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Penalties won | 1 |
| Dribble success % | 50% (3/6, most dribbles in match) |
| Passes into final third | 3 |
| Recoveries | 6 |
Former Blackburn boss John Eustace labelled Dolan as ‘outstanding’ to BBC Radio Lancashire and Farke would’ve no doubt thought the same.
Despite the controversy that came out of that game, the Whites faithful can’t deny his quality, and to sign him for free could prove to be a masterclass in the Premier League.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
