Leeds United and Liverpool are both in the process of sourcing new signings ahead of the new Premier League season.
Liverpool have spent plenty on the likes of Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong already, while Leeds United completed their sixth summer signing yesterday.
That came in the form of Anton Stach, who is the club’s fifth defensive addition already, having only signed Lukas Nmecha as an attacking player thus far.
The likes of Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw have bolstered their central defensive ranks, with a vastly different defence to the one Daniel Farke started with in his first season in West Yorkshire.
Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon remain, but Leeds had Ethan Ampadu, Liam Cooper, and Charlie Cresswell that season. The latter has since departed the club permanently, which some Leeds fans believe is a mistake.
Charlie Cresswell’s sell-on could benefit Leeds with Liverpool interest emerging
Sold for just £4 million to Toulouse, Cresswell could be deemed as a mistake by the club after an exceptional year in Ligue 1.
Cresswell had a ‘dream’ of playing for Leeds but Farke didn’t fancy him for most of the first campaign in charge of the club, which led to an exit for the academy graduate.
In spite of that, we recently saw Cresswell thank Leeds for their development of him, even if he has since been developed far more rapidly in Ligue 1. Now, Toulouse want as much as £18 million for Cresswell.
That’s amid Premier League interest in Cresswell from Sunderland. In more recent reports, it’s believed West Ham are interested in Cresswell and Leeds’ 15% sell-on could see them come into some extra cash this summer to help boost their transfer kitty.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed he can leave Toulouse in recent weeks. However, another club is now in the mix for his services, and one a level above that of West Ham and Sunderland.
Give Me Sport are reporting that Liverpool have him on their radar after scouting him often last season. They state that there is no active move at this stage, but Cresswell is very much a player Liverpool are keen on.
He remains under consideration as they assess future defensive options, given the need for a younger central defender at some stage. It’s added that Liverpool’s consistent monitoring suggests that he is “high on their long list of emerging defensive talents.”
Leeds’ sell-on could mean a cash windfall comes the way of Farke and the 49ers, and one which could aid their transfer kitty as they aim to consolidate their Premier League place and survive an immediate return to the second tier.
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Charlie Cresswell is a similar profile to current Leeds centre-backs
The giant defender is known for his aerial dominance, with Cresswell topping defensive metrics over PSG stars when it comes to his ability to win headers and duels consistently since his move to France from Leeds; it’s helped him bag a goal or two as well.
| Team | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leeds United | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Millwall | 30 | 5 | 1 |
| England U-21 | 26 | 3 | 1 |
| Toulouse | 34 | 4 | 2 |
Cresswell proved with Millwall in the season prior that he is a capable scorer of goals for a defender, and one with a bright future in the game. Leeds sold him when they had depth at centre-back, but it’s interesting how well he would fit into the current strategy.
Leeds have been signing taller and more combative players, with all but one of their signings so far standing at 6’1 or taller. Cresswell is similar to a number of the current centre-backs at the club, even if Farke didn’t trust him in the Championship.
It’s fair to say Leeds might eventually come to regret his early sale, but the sell-on was a masterstroke if Liverpool pay anything like £18 million. It will most certainly help with any PSR constraints a little as well.
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