The summer transfer window officially opens for business later this month and Leeds United could use to make some changes to their playing squad.
Daniel Farke's side narrowly missed out on promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as they were beaten 1-0 by Southampton at Wembley last month.
The Whites made it to the Championship play-off final in the capital, only to lose to an Adam Armstrong goal, and they will now have to fight it out in the second tier for a second season in succession.
Their failure to make their way back to the top-flight looks set to have an effect on the squad, as Crysencio Summerville has been linked with Liverpool in the Premier League and academy graduate Archie Gray has been linked with German giants Bayern Munich and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal.
The Yorkshire-based outfit may also have to continue without central defender Joe Rodon after he returned to parent club Tottenham Hotspur upon the end of his loan spell at Elland Road.
However, Leeds are already reportedly looking at a centre-back who could come in as a dream replacement for the Wales international this summer.
Leeds United's interest in recently-promoted colossus
According to Afton Bladet, via The 72, the Whites are one of the clubs lining up a swoop to sign FC St. Pauli central defender Eric Smith ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as Farke looks to add to his options at the back.
The report claims that they are joined by fellow Championship side West Bromwich Albion, who also made the play-offs this season, in their pursuit of the titan.
However, it does not reveal how much the German side are prepared to sell him for, or if they are even willing to entertain offers for the 27-year-old star.
St. Pauli won the 2. Bundesliga this season and will play in the Bundesliga next term, partially thanks to Smith's superb performances at the back, and it also remains to be seen whether or not the player would be willing to turn down a chance to play top division football in Germany to make the move to England.
If Farke and his team can get a deal over the line for the centre-back this summer, though, he could be a fantastic replacement for Rodon, who may or may not return to Yorkshire.
Football.london recently reported that it is unclear if Leeds will have the funds to pursue a permanent deal for the Welsh star, who they claimed is set to have plenty of interest this summer, after they failed to get promoted, which places doubt over his future at the club.
Joe Rodon's season in numbers
The right-footed brute arrived at Elland Road on a season-long loan deal last summer to get regular minutes under his belt and enjoyed a terrific campaign in the second tier.
He started 42 matches in the Championship as well as all three of the club's play-off matches – taking his tally to 45 league starts in total – at the heart of the Leeds defence.
The 26-year-old defender formed a partnership with Pascal Struijk during the first half of the campaign and then with compatriot Ethan Ampadu after the turn of the year, and helped the side to keep 17 clean sheets in his 42 regular season starts – with two in three play-off games on top of that.
Appearances
43
Ground duel success rate
69%
Aerial duel success rate
67%
Ball recoveries per game
4.2
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.3
Pass accuracy
91%
As you can see in the table above, Rodon showcased his defensive dominance throughout the Championship season with his fantastic duel success rate.
He dominated opposition attackers on the deck and in the air on a regular basis, whilst also being a very reliable passer of the ball with his 91% pass accuracy.
The Spurs loanee was also forward-thinking and progressive in possession as he ranked within the top 16% of his positional peers in the division for progressive passes per 90 (4.35).
This shows that Rodon consistently looked to play forward and break lines on the ball to find his teammates in dangerous positions to break down opponents.
Farke could now land a perfect replacement for the Welsh star by convincing Smith to turn down a chance to play in the Bundesliga and to sign for Leeds instead.
Why Eric Smith is a dream replacement for Joe Rodon
Firstly, the St. Pauli ace is a right-footed central defender and this means that he could slot in perfectly to the right side of the centre-back pairing for the Whites, with either Ampadu or Struijk then playing to the left of him.
The Swedish titan could also be a fantastic player to come in for Rodon as he is a progressive passer at the heart of the defence, who can consistently break lines and play the ball forward.
He ranked within the top 9% of centre-backs in the 2. Bundesliga for progressive passes per 90 (5.83) this season, which speaks to his ball-playing nature – making him a like-for-like with the Welshman in that respect.
This shows that Leeds would still have a centre-back on the right side of their backline who could be relied upon to play out from the back consistently and effectively.
Along with his impressive play in possession, Smith's defensive work for the 2. Bundesliga champions also suggests that he could be a dream replacement for Rodon.
Appearances
26
43
Goals + assists
4
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
1.9
2.3
Ball recoveries per game
5.4
4.2
Ground duel success rate
66%
69%
Aerial duel success rate
60%
67%
As you can see in the table above, both players achieved similar numbers from a defensive perspective in their respective leagues this season.
They are both dominant centre-backs who can win the majority of their duels, on the deck and in the air, and look to win possession back through recoveries, tackles, and interceptions multiple times per game.
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Overall, Smith's impressive form in and out of possession for St. Pauli in Germany suggests that he would come in as a like-for-like replacement for Rodon, which is why the 6 foot 3 colossus could be a superb signing for Farke.