Leeds United Submit €10m Bid For Goalkeeper’s Signing: Is He The Tactical Upgrade That Farke Needs? | OneFootball

Leeds United have put down a significant €10m bid for Shakhtar Donetsk keeper Dmytro Riznyk, as Daniel Farke looks to refresh his choices between the posts. According to reports from Ukrainian outlet Pasichnyk 2.0 via Football 24, the West Yorkshire club recently made a formal move to land the 27-year-old international. Since joining Shakhtar from Vorskla Poltava in early 2023, Riznyk has put up some incredible numbers, keeping 15 clean sheets in just 22 league games this season.

Leeds United target Dmytro Riznyk to beef up options in goal

Although Leeds currently sit 15th in the Premier League after a solid six-match unbeaten run, the squad is facing a bit of a depth crisis. With both Karl Darlow and Illan Meslier seeing their contracts run out this June, there is a massive gap to fill, and Riznyk looks like the man for the job.

While Meslier used to be the clear number one, his recent time on the bench suggests Farke is ready for a change. Hence, Leeds see the Ukrainian keeper as a perfect profile, especially given his impressive record of only conceding 0.59 goals per 90 minutes. Despite the player never having played outside his home country, the pull of the Premier League and a contract running until 2027 make this a huge story for the summer window.

Is Dmytro Riznyk the tactical upgrade Farke needs?

VILLACH, AUSTRIA – JULY 20: Goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk of Shakhtar Donetsk during the friendly match between Ipswich Town and Shakhtar Donetsk at Sportzentrum Landskron on July 20, 2024 in Villach, Austria. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

This move shows Leeds United are finally trying to move past the inconsistency that has hurt them in the past, where defensive mistakes often ruined their good work up front. Riznyk brings something different than Meslier; he’s much more assertive in his box and stays remarkably calm when teams press him high up the pitch. His biggest strength is his pure shot-stopping; he even has a perfect penalty-save record this season, which would be a massive psychological boost in tight Premier League games.

That said, some critics worry that his lack of experience in Europe’s top-five leagues might make his first few months in England a bit rocky. If Leeds get this deal over the line, they’ll have a keeper with elite distribution, though he’ll need to work on his aerial game to handle the physical side of English set-pieces.

Farke clearly wants a proactive keeper who can start attacks quickly, and Riznyk is a good option for that role than the older options at Elland Road right now. Spending €10m on a player valued at €7m is a statement of intent, but success will come down to whether his stats in Ukraine can hold up in a faster, more aggressive league. At the end of the day, bringing in a reliable pair of hands like Riznyk is key if Leeds United want to keep their current momentum going.