Graham Smyth predicts Leeds United next three transfer decisions after Sean Longstaff

Leeds United are rapidly closing in on their fifth signing of the summer transfer window after agreeing a fee believed to be worth an initial £12 million for Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff.

The Magpies academy product is a long-term target for the Whites and was initially linked with a move to Elland Road during Leeds’ successful push for the Championship title and a return to the Premier League. Longstaff had travelled to Austria with his Newcastle team-mates for a pre-season training camp but is believed to be returning to England after the deal was agreed and will undergo a medical over the coming days before joining Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw, full-back Gabriel Gudmundsson and forward Lukas Nmecha as the newest additions to the Whites squad.

Longstaff may not be the only new addition to Farke’s midfield ranks after reports on Wednesday suggested the Whites had agreed personal terms with Hoffenheim star Anton Stach - although a fee is yet to be agreed with the Bundesliga club as it stands. What does seem certain in that Leeds are fully aware of where they need to strengthen within their squad with just a month to go until they host Everton at Elland Road in their first game of the new Premier League season. As exclusively revealed by the YEP, Leeds have met with the representatives of Brazilian winger Igor Paixao and have ‘presented their project’ to the Feyenoord winger amid rival interest from Ligue 1 giants Marseille.

But where could Leeds turn to when and if they can complete a double midfield deal for Longstaff and Stach over the coming days and weeks?

Where does Graham Smyth think Leeds United will strengthen during the summer transfer window?

He said: “Leeds have got players through the door so far but because of the sheer scale of the work they need to do, I think people are impatient, or worried, or however you want to describe it. But we know the 49ers work to a plan, they don’t tend to panic, they don’t tend to be reactive with stuff and I guess they felt like they felt they were getting close with Longstaff - so that would be one done. I guess they feel like Stach is progressing and there is still life in that. So they thought they’d get that one done. If you get those two in, suddenly the noise dies down a little bit and the panic dies down.

“People are still going to clamour for the striker, they are going to want the left winger, the ten, they definitely want a goalkeeper - and I think that’s where a lot of the current worry is externally, that they haven’t got that goalkeeper in place yet. What we know of that is it has taken Leeds longer to get everyone on the same page and get a consensus on who it is exactly and who it is exactly they want from a keeper this summer. With other positions, they had targets and shortlists formed far, far earlier than when it came to the goalkeeper.”

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