Ronaldo Vieira (Image credit: Google)
As per reports (h/t Leicestershire Live), Leeds United are planning to bring back Sampdoria star Ronaldo Vieira to Elland Road ahead of the new campaign.
The report suggests that the Italian outfit are willing to sell the Englishman due to a financial crisis and he could be available for £9m. However, the Whites could face stiff competition as several Premier League clubs are eyeing a move for the youngster. Leicester City, Tottenham, West Ham, Burnley, Southampton, and Everton are all keen on securing his services.
Born in Guinea-Bissau, Vieira spent time at the academies of Benfica and i2i Football Academy before joining Leeds’ youth system in 2015. He was promoted to the Whites’ senior team in 2016 and went on to make 71 appearances for the Yorkshire outfit before joining Sampdoria in a £6m deal in August 2018.
He was a regular member of England U20 and U21 squads and was also a part of the U20 squad which won the Toulon tournament in 2017. The youngster has made 44 appearances for the Italian outfit in the last two years and has improved a lot, though he hasn’t yet found the back of the net.
Marcelo Bielsa’s men were brilliant in the last two seasons in the Championship and have managed to return to the top-flight after a 16-year gap. However, the manager should look to stock up his resources if they are to survive in the Premier League.
At the moment, six central midfielders are available at the manager’s disposal. However, only Kalvin Philips and Mateusz Klich have been regular starters. Ouasim Buoy and Conor Shaughnessy haven’t been a part of the squad in recent times and Adam Forshaw has struggled with injuries throughout the season.
Young Jamie Shackleton featured in a few games in the 2019/20 campaign but he is still inexperienced. Thus, they should consider bringing in a central midfielder this summer.
In that regard, re-signing Vieira would be a boost to the squad. The Bissau-born midfielder has already been with the club and that could help him settle down quickly. He was consistent last season.
His ability to operate in an advanced role and also as a defensive midfielder could come in handy for the manager. He could also bring healthy competition for Phillips, whilst also adding some much-needed depth to their ranks.
At 22, Vieira has got some experience under his belt and still has a lot of room for development. At the same time, Leeds are in dire need of central midfielders as Forshaw may not be available for the start of the campaign. And the 22-year-old could also go on to represent them in the long run. Thus, they should manage to lure him back to England.
