Leeds United struck gold with £10m transfer, Luton Town cameo proved it | OneFootball

FLW take a deeper look into the long-term suitability of Largie Ramazani as Daniel Farke's main man in attack at Leeds United.

Largie Ramazani made his return to action for Leeds United with an impressive cameo against Luton Town on Wednesday night at Elland Road.

Crysencio Summerville left huge boots to fill at Elland Road. The 2023/24 Championship Player of the Year scored 21 and assisted a further 10 last season in 49 games in all competitions. However, Ramazani is a player who will be a big differential in the final third in his own right, as he has proven to be so far.

As a multi-faceted forward that can hurt the opposition in a variety of ways, with three goals and an assist in nine league matches, with just six of them coming from the start thus far. Ramazani’s ankle injury, therefore, was a huge blow to Leeds, especially with the momentum he had been building alongside other Leeds forwards.

Largie Ramazani impresses upon Leeds return against Luton

In many ways, it should be no real surprise that Ramazani has proven to be a shrewd acquisition already, given that the 23-year-old was a shining light for Almeria last season despite their relegation. His age means that he has plenty of room to develop and improve from here before he hits his peak, but early signs are already extremely positive.

It was a costly deal to bring the young Belgian across to Leeds from Spain, with Fabrizio Romano stating that a fee of around €11.7 million (£10 million) was agreed in the total package, including the add-ons. A 15% sell-on clause was also included to bring the dynamic winger to Elland Road.

His return is timely, and although it came in optimal circumstances at 3-0 up with the points already secured, Ramazani impressed in a more central role. It highlights the attributes he has in his skill-set that can translate well to various areas of the pitch, but that he also may well be Leeds' most influential attacker.

He was very bright, intelligent with his pass and dribble selection, and looked very sharp instantly upon taking to the field in the 84th minute. Per FotMob, in a little over 10 minutes, Ramazani completed each of his six passes, a dribble, and attempted a cross as well.

The stats don't necessarily do him justice just to how impressive his short and sweet cameo was, but served as a reminder to both Leeds fans and the rest of the division that Farke has a plethora of versatile attacking options to fit in all at once, with Ramazani now likely to be eased back into games with further substitute appearances.

Nominally a left-sided winger, Ramazani has operated as both a striker and a right-winger, and as more of an attacking midfielder in his career. With Brenden Aaronson not among the goals or assists of late and suffering in front of goal, could the central role be a possibility for the Belgian in the long-term?

His fluid interchanges, quick link-ups, and constant positional rotation see him pop up centrally on a frequent basis anyway, so it could perhaps see him reinvent himself with Leeds, which would allow for the likes of Willy Gnonto and one of Manor Solomon or Dan James to also start as well.

Ramazani is an exciting footballer and one of the Championship's best players

Ramazani has quickly established himself as an exciting and dynamic presence in Leeds' attack under Farke. A player blessed with raw pace and exceptional dribbling ability, Ramazani offers something different compared to other options in the squad.

His cameo has given the German boss something to think about going forwards, with the 23-year-old's interplay and versatility something to consider. Of course, it is not just his combination play, but also that he can be both a touchline winger or an inverted forward, providing Farke with tactical flexibility.

One of Ramazani’s key attributes is his ability to drive at defenders, often beating them with quick feet and close control. He has the type of explosiveness that can turn a static phase of play into a dangerous attacking situation in a matter of seconds. Whether he’s hugging the touchline or cutting inside, his ability to stretch defences makes him a nightmare for opposition full-backs.

What has stood out most in early games is Ramazani’s link-up play with fellow winger Gnonto. The pair have developed a strong understanding on the pitch, with Ramazani’s mobility and athleticism dovetailing perfectly by making runs in beyond while Gnonto inverts into central areas ahead of the defensive line.

This combination has given Leeds an added edge in the final third, particularly when they look to break quickly or exploit space on the counter. Ramazani’s speed, agility, and technical quality means that he has all the tools to become one of the most dangerous forwards in the Championship, be that centrally or out wide.

He has a huge part to play in Leeds' season this year.