Leeds United are one of the teams keen on signing Michael Keane this month…
What’s the word?
That’s according to talkSPORT, who have listed the Yorkshire outfit alongside fellow Premier League rivals West Ham United and Southampton as likely suitors for the out-of-favour Everton defender.
However, it’s thought that the Toffees would be reluctant to let him leave for a direct competitor, whilst their managerial situation throws further doubt on the matter as the 30-year-old was frozen out by sacked boss Frank Lampard.
It also remains to be seen how much Keane would command as he’s currently valued at just €6m (£5m) by CIES Football Observatory, some five-and-a-half years after his £30m switch from Burnley.
Llorente upgrade
The Whites picked up only their third clean sheet since late September with a 0-0 draw to Brentford last weekend, ending a run of four successive matches of conceding two or more goals, in which 50% of those outings were against lower-league opposition. Meanwhile, only four other teams have conceded more than Leeds (33) so far this term.
It’s fair to suggest that one of Jesse Marsch’s biggest problems has been in defence and it’s hardly a surprise given the constant chopping and changing to his backline, though that has partly been down to never-ending injuries.
Would Keane be an upgrade, though? Well, there’s a case to be made over him being better than Diego Llorente – the American’s lowest-rated defender in 2022/23. In fact, of all players to have made eight or more appearances, the Spanish titan has been the worst, per WhoScored.
His inconsistent and calamitous nature was recently put back in the spotlight against Cardiff City, arguably being at fault for both of their goals in a pretty disastrous showing.
Whilst the Englishman hasn’t been playing much for Everton this term, they are joint-bottom in his absence, having played 32 of 36 matches last season, which included a stunning 3-0 victory over the Whites, where he found himself on the scoresheet and kept a clean sheet against the likes of Raphinha and Rodrigo.
Sofascore graded him to be the best player on the pitch with an 8.0 rating after he won 75% of his duels and made three interceptions, a feat that eclipsed the aforementioned Leeds dud, too.
In each of his last seven seasons in the Premier League, prior to his one, Keane has never recorded a worse average WhoScored rating than what Llorente is currently on, proving to be a mark of consistency over the years and perhaps makes Lampard’s decision to omit him all that stranger.
Despite his lack of game time, the 6 foot 3 titan – who was dubbed a “colossus” by The Athletic’s Greg O’Keeffe – still remains inside the top 7% of all central defenders across Europe’s top five divisions for aerial duels won (3.18) per 90, some way clear of Llorente again as he sits on the cusp of the top 48% (2.04).
As such, it’s evident that Leeds could actually land themselves a defensive upgrade in the form of Keane, although director of football Victor Orta is fast running out of time to get this one over the line.
AND in other news, Forget Wober: Orta could complete best Leeds business yet by signing £26m “top target”…