Leeds United are currently one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League after picking up 11 points from their first 11 matches of the 2025/26 campaign.
Whilst it has not been a disastrous start for the Championship champions, there are already some eyes wandering to the January transfer window with a view to the club bolstering the squad with new recruits.
Adding more goals to the team may be one of the priorities for the 49ers ahead of the window, as Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 11 goals in their 11 league matches.
Noah Okafor, Joe Rodon, and Lukas Nmecha are all currently tied on two goals in the Premier League this season, making them the club’s joint-top scorers.
25/26
Noah Okafor
Joe Rodon
Lukas Nmecha
2
22/23
Rodrigo
13
21/22
Raphinha
11
20/21
Patrick Bamford
17
As you can see in the table above, Leeds look to be on course for their first top-flight campaign without a player in double figures for goals for the first time since they were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020.
What the Whites would give to have Raphinha back at Elland Road for a second spell, as the Brazil international was a sensational signing by Victor Orta and Bielsa.
Where Raphinha ranks among Leeds signings since 2020
The left-footed forward was signed from Rennes for a fee of £18m in the summer of 2020 after Leeds had won the Championship title in the 2019/20 campaign.
It is hard to argue against Raphinha being the best signing that the club have made since their promotion in 2020, as he was a superstar for the Whites and earned them a significant profit upon his eventual departure.
The Brazilian phenomenon ranked first in the squad for ‘big chances’ created in both the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaign, with 12 in the first and ten in the second, per Sofascore, which speaks to how important he was as a creative force.
Appearances
30
35
Goals
6
11
Big chances missed
4
6
Big chances created
12
10
Key passes per game
2.1
1.9
Assists
9
3
Dribbles completed per game
1.9
1.8
Raphinha, as shown in the statistics above, also provided a big threat as a scorer of goals, with a return of 17 strikes in 65 Premier League games for the Whites in total.
Leeds were relegated the season after he left the club and no players in the squad hit double figures for ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore, which speaks to the impact that his exit had on the team.
His £55m move to Barcelona in 2022 was also a club-record sale for Leeds, which remains the case today, and this is another reason why he must be considered their best signing since 2020, due to his undeniable impact on the pitch and the money that his sale generated.
He was an exciting signing at the time of his arrival in 2020, as a technically brilliant Brazilian forward coming in from Ligue 1, and the club could recapture that level of excitement with one of their targets for the next window.
Leeds lining up move for Premier League star
According to MOTLeedsNews, Leeds United are lining up a potential swoop to sign Manchester United central midfielder Kobbie Mainoo in the upcoming January transfer window.
The report claims that the Whites were interested in a move for the England international in the summer window, but the Red Devils were unwilling to sanction an exit at the time.
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It states that ‘all signs’ point to a January exit from Old Trafford for Mainoo, due to his lack of game time this season, and that Leeds are keeping tabs on his situation with a view to a move for his signature.
However, MOTLeedsNews reveals that the main priority for the Whites is to sign a new number nine to bolster their attack, with any deal for the United midfielder on the back burner until they get that done.
If Leeds do land a new striker and go on to sign Mainoo on loan for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign, the central midfielder could be the most exciting signing since Raphinha.
Why Leeds should sign Kobbie Mainoo
In September, it was reported that a £79m price tag had been placed on the English starlet amid interest from Real Madrid, as United looked to scare teams off an attempt to sign him on a permanent basis.
£79m is £43.5m more than Leeds have ever spent on a player and £24m more than the club have ever sold a player for, which shows that Mainoo may be the most valuable player in the club’s history, even if he only joins on loan.
It would be an incredibly exciting signing for supporters and surely viewed as an ambitious move by neutrals, because the midfield star has made 80 appearances for Manchester United and been capped ten times by England, per Transfermarkt, despite not turning 21 until next April.
Mainoo, as explained by Ruben Amorim in the comments above, is in an unfortunate situation at Old Trafford because he has found himself behind club captain and Portuguese star Bruno Fernandes in his position because of the manager’s 3-4-2-1 system.
Before Amorim’s time at United, the English midfielder excelled in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 system under Erik ten Hag in the 2023/24 campaign, which bodes well for a potential move to Leeds, as they are Farke’s two preferred formations at Elland Road.
Take-ons attempted
2.71
Top 20%
Take-ons completed
1.42
Top 18%
Take-on success rate
53.4%
Top 28%
Goal-creating actions (take-ons)
0.09
Top 4%
Goal-creating actions (shot)
0.09
Top 2%
Goal-creating actions (fouls drawn)
0.05
Top 9%
As you can see in the table above, Mainoo earned his place in the England team and as a regular starter for United thanks to his impressive play in possession under the Dutch coach.
The 20-year-old midfield star, who was dubbed “generational” by teammate Rasmus Hojlund, was among the best midfielders in the Premier League at creating chances and carrying his side up the pitch with his ball control and mobility, which could helpd Leeds to improve their dismal goal tally of 11 goals from 11 games.
Mainoo, as shown in the clips above, also provided quality defensively, tracking back to make vital challenges, and showed potential as a goalscorer with five goals in all competitions, per Sofascore.
Therefore, the England international should not be judged by his failure to get into the current United team, as that is almost purely down to the manager’s preferred tactics.
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Overall, Leeds fans should be incredibly excited by the prospect of signing the young star, as he could be just as exciting a signing as Raphinha was, for different reasons, despite the fact that it would only be a loan deal.