Bad news for Solomon: Leeds urged to sign “high-level” star
Leeds United are currently in the last international break of the calendar year and will not need to worry about another break until March 2025.
Daniel Farke’s side are third in the Championship table, two points behind Sunderland and Sheffield United in the automatic promotion places, and will be looking to break into the top two in the weeks and months to come.
The German head coach will now be hoping that his players come back fully fit and full of confidence after playing for their respective nations in the last few days.
One Leeds player who has had mixed success with his country has been Manor Solomon, whose individual performances have not matched up with his team’s results.
Israel picked up a 0-0 draw with France and a 1-0 win over Belgium in the Nations League and the Tottenham Hotspur loanee started both games.
Solomon was embarrassed by Theo Hernandez, losing all eight of his duels and failing with all four of his attempted dribbles, against France, before being dribbled past five times, whilst winning 11 of his 20, against Belgium.
The winger needs to improve his performances, and quickly, because Leeds have been urged to consider signing a new forward in the January transfer window.
Leeds urged to consider free agent forward
Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Sky Sports commentator and pundit Don Goodman has suggested that the Whites should weigh up whether or not to sign Ryan Kent on a free transfer.
The English winger has been without a club since he had his contract with Fenerbahce terminated by mutual consent last month, but would not be able to play any competitive matches until January because his deal was ripped up outside of a registration window.
Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Goodman said: “Leeds need to build on what they have, which is arguably the strongest side in the Championship, and you’d imagine they’d be certainties to finish in the top two if they add another player.
“Ryan Kent was a high-level operator in the SPFL and was sought after by some top clubs during his time at Rangers, so the talent is clearly there, but I’m not sure if that consistency is still there – why else would he be without a club?
“There’s always a balance to be had. If a player is out of form but used to be good, do you gamble on that?”
Goodman has urged them to consider whether the gamble is worth it because they could finish in the top two by adding another quality player to the group ahead of the second half of the season.
This comes after The Scottish Sun reported last month that Leeds are long-term admirers of the forward and, alongside Leyton Orient, are eyeing up a potential free transfer for his services.
The arrival of Kent at Elland Road in January, for nothing, to bolster Farke’s options in the wide areas would come as bad news for Solomon.
Manor Solomon’s form this season
The Israel international arrived in West Yorkshire in the summer transfer window as a 25-year-old with a return of four goals and two assists in 25 Premier League games in his career, with Fulham and Spurs.
Leeds supporters may, therefore, have expected a bit more from the winger than they have seen from him thus far, as the attacker has not played like an experienced forward with quality experience in the top-flight.
Solomon did have a fantastic start to his career with the Whites, though, with an assist for Mateo Joseph’s goal against Hull with a superb cross from the left flank on his debut for Leeds.
Since that game against the Tigers, however, the Tottenham loanee has struggled badly on the pitch and failed to show why he has been a Premier League player for two teams.
As you can see in the table above, Solomon has failed to score or provide any creativity for his side in his seven Championship appearances since his debut.
The winger has also made one error that led to a goal for the opposition, slipping up against Burnley in a 1-0 defeat at Elland Road, in that time.
Why Leeds should sign Ryan Kent
These poor performances from Solomon could force Leeds to consider his future at the club heading into the January transfer window, as he is not currently justifying his loan.
Bringing Kent in would provide Farke with an extra option on the left and the right flank, alongside the likes of Wilfried Gnonto, Brenden Aaronson, Dan James, and Largie Ramazani, and that would allow the Whites to send the flop back to Spurs.
If his performances do not improve over the next six weeks or so, the arrival of another winger would be bad news for Solomon, because of the potential of him being sent back, and Kent is a forward with the quality to possibly lead to that decision being made.
The English attacker scored one goal in 19 games for Fenerbahce, after failing to settle in Turkey, but his form for Rangers in the past suggests that the potential is there for him to be an excellent addition to the group.
As you can see in the table above, Kent did not provide much of a goal threat in his last two seasons in the Premiership with the Scottish giants, but was incredibly creative and direct.
He is adept at creating high-quality chances after beating opposition defenders with his dribbling ability, which means that the forward could help to create opportunities for the likes of Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe.
Whereas, Solomon – since his debut – has offered virtually nothing at the top end of the pitch and this suggests that Kent could come in to provide more in the final third, if he can recapture his Rangers form, and that is why his possible arrival is bad news for the Spurs loanee.
