Leeds United should not be surprised at Spurs, Wolves and Brighton transfer advances | OneFootball

Leeds fans won't be surprised by the news surrounding Pascal Struijk.

Leeds United fans have to be pleased with the Championship standings as they sit in second place on 42 points.

While they have experienced occasional setbacks, this time it seems they will be the team being pursued, rather than chasing as they did for much of last season.

With an important festive period upcoming, they have a host of fixtures against mid-table opposition which they will be keen to capitalise on and extend their advantage over third-placed Burnley.

Following that, the January transfer window will open, and Daniel Farke’s side is likely to target a few key signings to strengthen their squad and boost their push for Championship promotion.

However, it is just as vital they keep a hold of many of their key players and recent reports have linked their star defender to a move away from Elland Road.

Pascal Struijk linked to Premier League clubs

Pascal Struijk has arguably been Leeds' best player this season, with the centre-back consistently putting in strong performances on the left side of defence.

Having joined the club back in 2018, the 25-year-old is now approaching his 150th appearance for the Whites and, under Farke, has been a key figure whenever available.

Unsurprisingly, this has caught the eye of clubs higher in the English pyramid and a trio of Premier League sides have shown interest in bringing the Dutchman to their teams.

As per TBR, those sides include Tottenham Hotspur, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton and Hove Albion.

Having sold Archie Gray to Spurs and Georginio Rutter to Brighton, it is clear there is a working relationship to begin with. However, with contract negotiations underway and the approaches coming mid-season, Leeds would be silly to let their number five depart at this point.

With his current deal running until 2027, the ball is still firmly in the Whites' court and retaining Struijk should only prove a problem if a ridiculous offer arrives at their doorstep.

Leeds fans will not be surprised by Struijk transfer talk

The chatter around a potential Struijk departure will come as no surprise to Leeds fans, with the Elland Road faithful seeing first-hand just how strong a defender he is.

Although injuries disrupted his 2023-24 season, this campaign he has been ever-present, starting every single Championship match.

Forming a strong partnership alongside Joe Rodon, the 25-year-old has been the pick of the two with his passing attributes and defensive nous setting him apart from other second-tier defenders.

When examining his underlying statistics on FotMob, the Dutchman stands out, ranking in the top 10 percent for key defensive metrics, including recoveries, duels won, and aerial duels won. In possession, he is equally impressive, averaging 81.9 passes per game – the highest among players with over 100 minutes of action – completing them with a remarkable success rate of 91.3%.

Additionally, his ability to contribute offensively is clear, having created seven chances for his teammates so far this season and netting two crucial goals in games against Sheffield United and Portsmouth.

Given the calibre of his performances, it’s no surprise that clubs like Tottenham are showing interest, as he would seamlessly slot in as a left-sided centre-half.

However, at 25-years-old, he is in no rush to head back to the top flight and if he waits till the end of the season, it is feasible that he will return there with Leeds United.