A poor spell at a certain club does not equal a poor player. Leeds United, Championship leaders under Daniel Farke at present, know all about that.
Rasmus Kristensen has emerged as Frankfurt fans’ favourite after leaving Elland Road on another loan deal over the summer. Robin Koch forced his way back into the Germany squad following his return to the Bundesliga.
And while Matuesz Bogusz might not have lived up to his early promise at Leeds United, the Polish playmaker did end 2024 with 20 goals and 11 assists across the pond at Los Angeles FC.
Now, the reason we bring this up is because, as Leeds reportedly show an interest in Burnley’s Mike Tresor Ndayishimiye, a pretty dreadful stint at Turf Moor is likely to raise serious concerns around the Elland Road fanbase.
Understandable concerns, yes, but also maybe misguided ones too.
Leeds United target Mike Tresor topped European assist charts at Genk
A year-and-a-half on from his £16 million arrival from KRC Genk, Tresor has started three league games, contributing neither a single goal nor an assist. And while chairman Alan Pace insists that the 25-year-old is fit and training, he remains conspicuous by his absence from Scott Parker’s Burnley plans.
So, the question is, why would Leeds look to raid a title rival for a £16 million flop who cannot even force his way into the matchday squad at another Championship side?
Well, like with Kristensen, Koch and arguably Bogusz too, sometimes a player and a club just don’t quite fit together.
And there can be no doubting the extent of Tresor’s talent, even if it remains unproven on English soil. This is a footballer who earned two caps for the Belgian national team as recently as 2023, after all. Not only that, but a player who finished as the top assist provider in the whole of European football during the 2022/23 campaign with 24 to his name.
There is a reason Burnley saw fit to invest £16 million in the first place. Not even such luminaries as Lionel Messi, Bruno Fernandes or Kevin de Bruyne could come close to the numbers Tresor put up in his final season in Belgium.
A wonderful technician, Tresor likes to play as a number ten or drifting in from the left-hand side. He is adept at playing rapid-fire one-twos in tight areas and his end product – as you might have guessed given that he set up more goals than anyone on the continent just last year – is often on the money.
For former Genk coach Michel Ribeiro, however, it is Tresor’s ball-striking technique which stands out the most. Technique that reminds Ribeiro of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mike Tresor possesses Cristiano Ronaldo-esque ball-striking
“First of all, we have to address Mike’s exceptional kicking technique” Ribeiro told the official Genk website back in 2023. “He is one of the few players who has mastered the knuckleball. It’s the special kicking technique that put Cristiano Ronaldo on the map.
“It’s a way you can hit a ball hard and still have it drop sufficiently at the right time. He works hard on himself every week in training to further refine that technique.
“In addition, he has quick feet. Passing the ball correctly is one thing, but we often work together in training in using small spaces, to be able to beat a marker first through a one-on-one skill or in combination with his teammates.
“This sense for combination explains his excellent statistics for me.”
Wouter Vrancken, his manager at Genk, lauded Tresor’s ‘wonderful vision’, his appreciation of the runners around him, and his ‘unique’ output.
If Leeds were to get their mitts on Tresor – reporter Alan Nixon claims that there is interest via his Patreon account – Farke may find himself embarking upon something of a rebuilding project given the damage that has been done to the Burnley misfit’s reputation and confidence over in Lancashire.
But if Farke can succeed, like he has done with Brenden Aaronson, Manor Solomon and co, then the Championship’s most explosive attack will soon have another weapon of mass destruction sitting in their armoury.
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