Ki Sung-yueng’s contract with Swansea City came to an end this summer, following which he joined Newcastle United. However, the South Korean international, who was a record signing for the Swans when he joined from Celtic in 2012, could have been an excellent addition for Leeds United.
Everton were interested in him while AC Milan were also looking to swoop in for the player, perceiving him as a surrogate to Franck Kessie. But in hindsight, Leeds United should have signed Ki.
With Marcelo Bielsa at the helm, the Peacocks must sign midfielders who are technically gifted and defensively strong. Since is expected to deploy his favoured 3-3-1-3 formation at Elland Road next season, Ki could have been an integral part of their midfield.
Ki’s distribution from deeper areas combined with a ruthless work ethic and his penchant for long-range goals is a great blend. In the 3-3-1-3 formation, the 29-year-old could have either played as the defensive playmaker or as a central midfielder.
He scored 2 goals and provided 2 assists in 25 Premier League appearances last season. His work ethic can be epitomized by the fact that he averaged 1 tackle and 1.3 interceptions per game. He has an overall pass success rate of 88%, meaning Ki would have thrived under Bielsa’s guidance.
In addition, Ki can be useful in set-piece situations as well, having the required height to trouble the defenders aerially. He has won 6 out of the 8 aerial duels in the World Cup thus far.
Read More: Signing this Premier League midfielder could be a blockbuster move for Leeds United
In short, Ki Sung-yueng could have played a key role in Leeds’ quest to get promoted to the Premier League. However, now that he has joined Newcastle, the club must look for similar players elsewhere.
