Liverpool fans gave Ben Doak a new nickname after a fantastic display this week, which should leave Leeds United very excited about possibly signing him.
After improving the height and physicality of his squad and fixing several important positions at the back end of the field, Daniel Farke now wants to enhance his attacking options.
The Leeds United boss complained about his side’s lack of quality up front after the draw with Villarreal and the club is now working to rectify that.
A new striker, playmaker and winger are all on the agenda, though there has been some difficulty in recruitment as Leeds missed out on Igor Paixao and there has been little progress with Rodrigo Muniz.
There are still plenty of interesting options out there, though, and the latest to emerge is Liverpool starlet Ben Doak.
It’s been reported by Beren Cross that Leeds have had ‘discussions’ about Doak as a possible target.
Given the way Liverpool fans have been praising the youngster this summer, he could be a very smart signing.
- Who is Ben Doak? The Liverpool starlet Leeds United are eyeing in the transfer window
Liverpool fans hailed Ben Doak after his performance vs Athletic Club
Doak has been given opportunities to impress Liverpool boss Arne Slot in pre-season and he certainly did so in the 4-1 win over Athletic Club on Monday.
His performance was so good that Liverpool posted a dedicated highlights package of it on X, formerly Twitter, which showed off his direct running, hard work and dangerous crosses in the match.
Doak had a hand in the opening goal with a good delivery into the box and scored the third from a tight angle after skinning his marker.
Liverpool supporters in Anfield were audibly wowed by his performance and fans flocked to social media to praise him, too, even nicknaming him the successor to Mohamed Salah.
@darkjangbbi echoed the sentiment and said: “Ben Doak looks like he could be Salah’s successor!”
“What a finish from Doak! The Kop is buzzing! Let’s keep the momentum going, Reds!” X user @schellhase66743 posted.
“He’s incredible,” @mashaweb3 said, while @zulfi125678 agreed and wrote: “Wow, what a talent! He really knows how to shine on the big stage. Excited to see more from him!”
@JohnnyBlaze1080 was delighted to see him getting praise: “Glad Doak finally getting the shine he deserves. His talent is completely flying under the radar.”
After such an impressive showing, some Liverpool fans have asked the club not to let him leave.
“Pls keep him,” @angushklfc posted, with @thefemigeorge saying: “Future RW. Hopefully he gets enough game time this coming season.”
Should Leeds United sign Ben Doak from Liverpool?
Doak is certainly an exciting prospect but signing him would be a gamble for Leeds.
For starters, it’s reported Liverpool want at least £20m for the 19-year-old, which is more than what Leeds have spent on any player this summer.
Leeds do have room in the budget to splash on attacking talent, but spending so much on a player not proven at Premier League level is a risk.
Farke has been targeting players aged 26-28 with top-flight know-how to give Leeds the best chance at survival. Doak is a big departure from that.
That’s not to say he couldn’t be signed, but Leeds need players for the now rather than the future and there’s no guarantee that Doak is an immediate upgrade on the current options out wide.
With other attacking positions in need of strengthening, spending so much on a player, mostly on the back of their potential, is a move Leeds might not be able to afford.
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