Leeds United have had a busy summer transfer window already, making four signings, including three defenders and a striker on a free transfer, namely Lukas Nmecha.
Now, it seems like the Whites have moved onto a midfield target, with Sean Longstaff of Newcastle United now in their sights.
A recent report from Sky Sports suggests that Daniel Farke’s side have had a bid worth around £12m for Longstaff rejected by his boyhood club. Leeds may well go back in for the midfielder, but it’s also revealed they are now considering their options ahead of bolstering their central options.
The Yorkshire outfit might not be done there, and are said to be eying up another new addition, who could prove to be an even more important signing than Longstaff.
Leeds' next signing after Longstaff
So, it certainly seems like Leeds are doing all they can to bring in their fifth new signing of the summer to Elland Road.
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Once they’ve bolstered the midfield, they must move on to an even more important area; the goalkeeping department.
According to a recent report from Turkish news outlet As Marca, the Whites are lining up a move for Fenerbahce and Croatian international goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. The 30-year-old is reportedly the subject of a £6m bid from Leeds.
However, that does not come close to the price tag the Turkish side are holding out for. Instead, Jose Mourinho’s side want in the region of £11m to make a deal happen.
Leeds will have to be quick, with Livakovic also of interest to fellow Premier League sides Sunderland, Aston Villa, and Chelsea.
Why Livakovic would be a good signing
If there is one criticism people had for Leeds last season, which was not easy given they reached a century of Championship points, it was the lack of consistency shown by first-choice goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Well, perhaps signing a new goalkeeper in the form of Livakovic is the answer to Leeds’ struggles between the posts. The Croatian star had an impressive campaign in 2024/25 for Fenerbahce, playing 32 games across all competitions, conceding just 38 goals and keeping nine clean sheets.
He was also Croatia’s first-choice goalkeeper at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. There, he was the hero in penalty shootouts against Japan and Brazil as his side came third in the tournament. Statman Dave described him as a “big-game” player as a result of his efforts.
As for Meslier, his initial numbers last season might not suggest any goalkeeping frailties. In 39 Championship games, he conceded 27 goals and kept 21 clean sheets, which you’d be happy with at the end of a campaign.
Yet, digging a little deeper tells the full story. He made three errors leading to a goal and prevented -2.73 goals. To put that number into context, of the 50 goalkeepers who played a game in the second tier last term, only six glovemen had poorer records between the sticks.
It was undeniably a calamitous year for Meslier, which included that bizarre mistake against Sunderland. Ex-Leeds man Aidy White told BBC Radio Leeds that “they have got to drop” the Frenchman.
For that reason, Livakovic would be a better addition than Longstaff. The simple fact is that Leeds need to improve in goal, more than they do in the middle of the park where the likes of Ao Tanaka, Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu are consistent figures.
A look at the underlying numbers also suggests that the Croatian number one would be a huge upgrade on Leeds’ current first-choice shot stopper.
As the stats on Sofascore show, Livakovic averages 2.5 saves compared to Meslier’s 1.7 saves per 90 minutes. The numbers also suggest that the Fenerbahce star is better with his feet, and last season averaged 5.6 accurate long balls compared to just 2.5 accurate long balls each game from the Frenchman.
Goals conceded
1.2
0.7
Saves made
2.5
1.7
Save percentage
67.8%
70.7%
Penalty save percentage
40%
25%
Accurate long balls
5.6
2.5
All the evidence suggests that Livakovic would be a far better signing than Longstaff. Whilst the Newcastle man would bring experience into the midfield, having a reliable man between the sticks is exactly what Leeds need this season.
Meslier had some poor moments last term, and bringing in Livakovic could help solve their issues and allow more consistency in goal. He may certainly end up being a better signing than Longstaff.
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1 ByDan EmeryJul 10, 2025