Leeds United’s return to the Championship commences this weekend, and while manager Daniel Farke has already bolstered the squad with several signings, the German could now move for Coventry City star Gustavo Hamer.
That’s according to Football Insider, who have revealed that the Whites are now hoping to sign a midfielder before the transfer window closes at the end of August.
Hamer has been exemplary for Coventry and was the centrepiece of their 2022/23 campaign, where they lost to Luton Town in the Championship play-off final, and as such Leeds are hoping to seal a deal.
How good is Gustavo Hamer?
The interest in Hamer is hardly surprising given the Elland Road side’s losses this summer – Marc Roca and Brenden Aaronson have left on loan deals following relegation, while veteran Adam Forshaw’s contract has expired.
So it’s understandable that the West Yorkshire club will be targetting a suitable replacement; whether they can snatch Hamer from City is another question.
He’s held in very high regard among the Sky Blues fold, with teammate Marko Marosi saying: “Gustavo is unbelievable. He’s a funny guy as well and a great character.”
As per Sofascore, the Dutch-Brazilian recorded an average match rating of 7.35 in the Championship last year, scoring nine goals and supplying ten assists, averaging 1.8 key passes, 2.6 tackles and one interception per game, and succeeding with 57% of his dribbles.
Such a dynamic and all-encompassing midfielder could lead Farke to mould the 26-year-old into his next James Maddison, with the England international – who completed a £40m move from relegated Leicester City to Tottenham Hotspur in June – scoring 15 goals and supplying 12 assists from 49 appearances under the manager’s leadership at Norwich City.
At present, Maddison stands tall as one of Europe’s foremost creative midfielders, ranking among the top 11% of positional peers for assists, the top 13% for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 17% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
Comparatively, Hamer ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Men’s Next Eight divisions over the past year for goals, the top 3% for assists, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 13% for tackles per 90.
The 26-year-old Maddison, who has been described as a “magician” by Statman Dave, was first-rate in the second tier back in 17/18 and recorded a stunning average Sofascore rating of 7.59, averaging 2.8 key passes per game, completing 86% of his passes, making 1.1 tackles per match and succeeding with 68% of his dribbles.
He was pivotal for the Canaries and flourished despite their 14th-placed finish, and with the Leeds squad hoping for an instant return to the top-flight, Hamer could play the same role but contribute towards an ascension right back to prominence.
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