Jesse Marsch’s Summer Signings at Leeds Have the Club Well Positioned for the Future
Jesse Marsch’s tenure at Leeds began in dramatic fashion. The 48-year-old American manager took over the club at the end of February with the team in the middle of the relegation battle. On the season’s final day, Leeds began their game in a relegation position, but goals from Jack Harrison and Raphinha gave the team a 2-1 win over Brentford and kept them in the Premier League.
Marsch has had a lot of success as a manager within Europe. He won the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup twice as manager of Red Bull Salzburg, but a brief tenure at RB Leipzig didn’t go the way he or the club expected.
Now, Marsch faces one of his toughest challenges yet as he tries to help Leeds take the next step towards sustained Premier League success. Kalvin Phillips already departed for Manchester City during this transfer window, and Raphinha could leave the club as well, but despite that Leeds is still positioned to avoid the relegation battle next year.
Important Signings Position Leeds for the Future
When Leeds avoided relegation at the end of last season, it was already clear this summer would be vital for the team. It had become obvious that Kalvin Phillips was likely to leave the club, and that Raphinha could join him.
Marsch and Leeds have been aggressive in addressing those positions and strengthening the squad. Brenden Aaronson was one of the first signings to strengthen the team. The 21-year-old attacking midfielder and winger had played for Marsch before at Red Bull Salzburg, and adds depth to Leeds’ attack, which will be essential if Raphinha leaves the team this summer.
24-year-old right-back Rasmus Kristensen also joined Leeds from Jesse Marsch’s former club Red Bull Salzburg. Leeds’ current right-back, Luke Ayling, is dealing with an injury ahead of this season. Kristensen will provide yet another young player, who is an Austrian Bundesliga champion with Champions League experience, for Marsch to develop.
In the midfield, Leeds signed Marc Roca to add depth to the position. Roca made 105 appearances at Spanish club Espanyol, where he made 105 appearances. He eventually moved to Bayern Munich ahead of the 2020 season, but made only 15 appearances in the Bundesliga for the team. Leeds saw the opportunity to sign Roca, a talented young player who hasn’t gotten enough playing time, and will hope Marsch can help him develop in the Premier League.
After Phillips departed for Manchester City, the team faced the challenge of having to replace one of the most important players on the team. Marsch and the club almost immediately found their answer, signing Tyler Adams from RB Leipzig. Adams and Aaronson already play together for the United States national team, which will help Leeds’ midfield.
Those four players are all 25 years old or younger. As a result, Jesse Marsch has added a group of young players with incredible talent who already have experience winning major competitions and participating in the Champions League. There are almost two months remaining in the transfer window, and Leeds and Marsch could add even more players to the squad in the coming weeks.
What This Means for Jesse Marsch, Leeds, and Soccer Odds
Leeds spent much of last season in the relegation battle, and at the start of this summer’s transfer window, it was likely this season would be similar. However, the signings the club has made so far this summer have positioned the team to have a very good season.
While Leeds may have been a favorite to be relegated over the past few months, the club has probably positioned itself to compete to finish in the middle of the table this season. Adams, Roca, Aaronson, and Kristensen are all players who should be able to develop and have success for a long time at Leeds.
This summer could position Jesse Marsch and Leeds to have success for the next several seasons. After returning to the Premier League in 2020 the team has tried to find stability. The summer of 2022 may help the club build its’ foundation for the future.
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