Stats show Leeds target Kjell Scherpen outperforms Lucas Perri and Karl Darlow | OneFootball

Leeds United’s priority is a new goalkeeper after Karl Darlow joined Manchester United, and Union Saint-Gilloise’s Kjell Scherpen has the numbers to tempt them.

Sky Sports reports that Leeds are competing with Ipswich Town for Scherpen, who kept 21 clean sheets in 43 games and conceded only 38 last season. He also featured in the Champions League and received a Netherlands call-up within the past year.

Darlow’s exit, with rivalry ire expected from supporters, leaves Lucas Perri as the incumbent. Perri struggled after arriving from Lyon, then redeemed himself in the FA Cup against Birmingham City and West Ham United. Torino are interested, and Leeds are likely to act.

Leeds have tracked goalkeepers including Zion Suzuki and James Trafford, but nothing has progressed. With Trafford back from World Cup duty as a back-up, talks with Manchester City could advance if Enzo Maresca’s side are willing to do business.

Scherpen’s metrics are compelling, with 0.91 goals conceded per 90 and a 74.3% save rate, better than Perri’s 1.83 and 57.7% and Darlow’s 1.25 and 71.2%. He averaged 0.44 clean sheets per 90 compared with Perri’s 0.22 and Darlow’s 0.25.

Bought for £1.5m, the six ft eight in keeper would be a cheaper alternative to Trafford, and with £15.6m already committed to Perri, thrift makes sense. Leeds have added Harry Wilson on a free from Fulham and Tarik Muharemovic from Sassuolo for £34m, the club’s second most expensive transfer ever.

Source: Leedsunited.news