Leeds United have completed the transfer of Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille and Daniel Farke has multiple ways he can use his new player.
Gabriel Gudmundsson became Leeds United’s fourth new signing of the summer transfer window on Tuesday, July 8.
Leeds have paid £10m to recruit Gudmundsson from Lille, with the Swedish left-back putting pen to paper on a four-year deal to stay at Elland Road until 2029.
Leeds had at least five options when considering their best option to replace Junior Firpo, but settled on Gudmundsson thanks to his top-level experience and affordable price tag.
The Swede follows Jaka Bigol, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Lukas Nmecha to Leeds, with Daniel Farke looking to add height, strength and proven quality to his squad.
Here are three ways the manager can utilise Gudmundsson in the Premier League next season.
- Who is Gabriel Gudmundsson? Meet the attacking left-back Leeds United are ‘keen’ to replace Junior Firpo
Gabriel Gudmundsson is a like-for-like Junior Firpo replacement
The most obvious way that Gudmundsson will be used is to slot right into the hole that Firpo’s exit left in his wake.
Signing a new left-back was absolutely crucial for Leeds this summer following Firpo’s exit, as the Dominican played an integral role in clinching Leeds the title.
Firpo set up 10 goals and scored another four, so losing that attacking output and pace on the flank is a massive blow.
Gudmundsson doesn’t appear to have quite the attacking acumen, with just four goals and three assists in 137 games for Lille, but he does have fast feet and is solid at the back.
In his first words as a Leeds player, Gudmundsson said being ‘stable’ was one of his qualities.
In all likelihood, Gudmundsson will take Firpo’s No.3 and slip right into his position on the left of a back four.
Daniel Farke can use Gabriel Gudmundsson for a new formation at Leeds
Leeds are going to have to adapt quickly to the Premier League. They will no longer be the top dogs in the division and won’t dominate the ball in most matches as they’re used to.
It’s going to be a different style of football for the most part and Farke may consider changing formation as a result.
The manager has used a back-three before at Norwich City and Borussia Monchengladbach, and signing two centre-backs in Bijol and Bornauw could suggest he’s considering it for next season.
Along with Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk and Ethan Ampadu, Leeds suddenly have loads of options at centre-back and easily enough to support a change to a back-three.
Hopefully, it won’t be a permanent solution as Leeds could lose their attacking verve if they go more defensive, but it would certainly be a handy plan B against tougher opposition.
With his stamina and energy, Gudmundsson can easily operate as a left wing-back to make the formation work.
Gabriel Gudmundsson can play on the wing
Gudmundsson is a versatile player and, though primarily a left-back, has played as a winger on plenty of occasions.
27 of his games for Lille came in a more advanced position on the left and he has even played on the right wing and in attacking midfield before (not to mention centre-back and right-back) in France.
Gudmundsson actually spent the first portion of his career as a forward, playing on either flank and even up front for Halmstads BK, where he scored 16 goals and got six assists in 88 games.
That sort of flexibility could prove essential when injuries inevitably take hold in a gruelling season.
Though it wouldn’t be ideal, Gudmundsson could seemingly fill in on the left flank if Leeds were short on attacking options, which might occur since a replacement for Manor Solomon hasn’t been found yet.
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