Leeds United are closing in on a deal for former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer.
If sealed, he will become the club’s second striker signing of the summer following Lukas Nmecha’s arrival on a free transfer to Leeds United from VfL Wolfsburg.
Leeds’ first Calvert-Lewin approach occurred over a month ago via a phone call to the player, ahead of him becoming a free agent this summer.
In profile terms, Calvert-Lewin makes sense, but there are obvious glaring concerns regarding his injury record and especially given Calvert-Lewin’s early summer wage demands.
- READ MORE: Torn Leeds United fans will be happy with Dominic Calvert-Lewin transfer on two conditions
Dominic Calvert-Lewin details outlined by Sky Sports’ Zinny Boswell
Calvert-Lewin has been compared to Viktor Gyokeres previously and it became clear in recent days that Calvert-Lewin was a serious consideration for Leeds over Rodrigo Muniz.
David Ornstein then confirmed the details of Leeds’ deal for Calvert-Lewin after the two struck an agreement. The 28-year-old rejected Sunderland in favour of Leeds.
Sky Sports journalist Zinny Boswell details that Leeds explored a deal for Calvert-Lewin earlier this summer. It was viewed as a difficult one to do back then and the focus was on Muniz.
Lots has changed since then and that is why they found a deal after his wage demands dropped. He adds that Leeds clearly rate him highly and, if he can stay injury free, it could become a bargain.
Boswell also adds that: “DCL and #LUFC not each other’s top choices, but both need each other now.”
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2016/17 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017/18 | 32 | 4 | 6 |
| 2018/19 | 35 | 6 | 2 |
| 2019/20 | 36 | 13 | 1 |
| 2020/21 | 33 | 16 | 0 |
| 2021/22 | 17 | 5 | 2 |
| 2022/23 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023/24 | 32 | 7 | 2 |
| 2024/25 | 26 | 3 | 1 |
Once a well-thought-of striker in the Premier League and across Europe, it remains to be seen if Calvert-Lewin can recapture his form of 2019-2021.
He brings more to a team than just goals, due to his ability to pin his opponent and act as a focal point. However, he has scored just 17 goals from a non-penalty xG of 27.3 in that time (FBref).
That is a huge underperformance for a team needing reliable output. It perhaps explains why Rio Ferdinand is not a fan of Calvert-Lewin.
However, others, like Danny Murphy, think Calvert-Lewin could be a ‘great addition’ for Leeds, if he can stay fit consistently.
- READ MORE: Whether Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be eligible to play against Everton as Leeds United move nears
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s wage demands at Leeds explained
As mentioned previously, Calvert-Lewin was once a highly-coveted striker before injuries struck, which is why he has had high wage demands as a free agent.
It was reported at one stage of the summer that the former Everton star wanted £150k per week. Although this may well be true, Leeds have worked hard to rebalance things on the wage front this season.
Understandably, Leeds are looking to reset the wage structure somewhat after Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta handed out some lucrative deals in Leeds’ previous Premier League stint, which the 49ers are keen to avoid unless absolutely necessary.
A deal of £150k per week is far beyond what Leeds have in place as a strict salary cap now, but Leeds United News sources have confirmed that Calvert-Lewin will become one of the highest-paid players at the club.
It’s not yet clear what that means exactly, but he will be earning in excess of £80,000 to have that tag, if not comfortably over the £100,000 mark.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
