Summary Leeds United aiming to replace Summerville with Dutch talent Manhoef in £10m deal after recent departures. Manhoef, like Summerville, could be pivotal for Leeds, showcasing similar stats & potential to excel under Farke. Farke's side may look to repeat success with Dutch wingers by signing Manhoef to fill the void left by departed talents.
The departure of Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United this summer was to be expected after their failure to secure an immediate return back to the Premier League.
He had been linked with big-money moves to the likes of Newcastle United, Liverpool and Chelsea all summer, before moving to West Ham United in a £25m deal after the Hammers triggered a release clause in his contract.
The 22-year-old registered 28 goals and assists in his 43 Championship appearances – with boss Daniel Farke having a huge task on his hands to replace the goals they will have lost with his departure.
Georginio Rutter also looks set to be joining Summerville in leaving Elland Road this summer after Brighton triggered his £40m release clause, with Farke confirming he had already said his goodbyes on Thursday.
However, the Whites could repeat a deal for the Dutch talent before the end of the window in an attempt to replace the firepower lost during the transfer window.
Leeds could land £10m Dutch talent this summer
After the recent departure, the club have been working tirelessly to try and sign a suitable replacement, but so far, to no avail.
However, they could land a deal for Stoke City winger Million Manhoef after it was revealed by TEAMtalk that they had registered interest in the 22-year-old.
The Dutch attacker, who only joined the Championship side for £3.4m in January, could be on the move once again this window, but any move for the youngster could cost Farke’s side around the £10m mark.
Whilst it may seem a hefty sum for a player who has only featured in England for the last six months, he could prove to be an excellent addition, potentially following in Summerville’s footsteps in Yorkshire.
Why Manhoef could follow Summerville in being a hit at Leeds
After joining Leeds back in 2021, it took a year of settling for Summerville before he made his mark on the club’s first team – often featuring for the under-23 side.
His breakthrough campaign came in the 2022/23 campaign, where he made 28 Premier League appearances, scoring four and starting to look like a valuable player – scoring the winning goal against Liverpool at Anfield.
The levels he reached following his first full campaign are evident after his big-money move back to the Premier League, with Manhoef potentially able to follow in his footsteps should he move to Elland Road.
As previously mentioned, the second half of last season was his first taste of English football, with the youngster producing numerous stats very similar to the recently departed Leeds ace.
Games played
14
28
Goals + assists
5
6
Shots taken
37
29
Shots on target
10
9
Pass accuracy
75%
78%
Dribble success
36%
52%
Crosses completed
20%
14%
He matched his tally of four goals during his 14 appearances during 2023/24, whilst also averaging more shots and shots on target than compatriot Summerville.
Manhoef, who has the ability to “unlock defences” according to former Stoke star Glenn Whelan, may have completed slightly fewer dribbles but managed a higher cross-success rate than Summerville could muster during his full season of first-team action for the Whites.
Given their recent success with one Dutch winger, the club could be tempted into making a move for Manhoef before the closure of the window on August 30th.
He could develop rapidly under Farke’s guidance, potentially taking his game to the next level and allowing the fanbase to forget about the former Leeds talent, with the club repeating the trick they played with Summerville by signing the Potters star.