We need a number 10″ – Leeds United, deemed not the answer to Rutter sale

The imminent arrival of Leeds United’s new winger from Tottenham Hotspur is causing quite the stir in Yorkshire, however, there are questions surrounding the deal, and whether Manor Solomon is the right fit.

The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that the 25-year-old will finish his medical this weekend. Solomon will join on loan from Spurs, with the Whites covering a significant portion of his salary for the season. Solomon only started twice in five Premier League games in 2023–24 before suffering a knee injury that ended his campaign early. His meniscus surgery also ended his season early. Since then, he has not played for the North London club since Tottenham’s 2-1 home victory over Liverpool in September.

Nevertheless, he is anticipated to move to the Championship, a division he has never played in before, due to Leeds’ seemingly endless outgoings this summer.

After spending the previous season on loan at Fulham, Solomon originally joined Spurs from Shakhtar Donetsk in July 2023. However, his injury-plagued 2023–2024 campaign caused him to fall in the hierarchy at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, giving the Whites the opportunity to sign him on loan.

Leeds has lost a number of important players this summer, but the £40 million departure of forward Geroginio Rutter to Brighton & Hove Albion may have been the worst blow. Rutter can also play as an attacking midfielder.

Matchday two revealed a glaring vacuum in Daniel Farke’s team against West Bromwich Albion, and Solomon’s signing does not appear to be the solution.

Kris Smith, the Leeds Fan Pundit for FLW, is concerned that the Frenchman hasn’t been replaced by the team yet.

“I do think that we’re now crying out for someone to replace Georginio Rutter, which is someone that has to play in the number 10,” Kris stated to Football League World.

“And with that, I think that it has to be someone that is sort of a pass first, number 10, someone that can play the killer passes through the lines rather than someone who carries the ball over great distances like Rutter did.”

Largie Ramazani’s addition to Leeds appears to be a great move, since the team has been actively working to create a new appearance in the last week.

Still, Solomon’s profile already resembles those of other Whites offensive stars like Willy Gnonto and Daniel James.

There were undoubtedly better options on the market, as Farke continues to need that attacking midfielder with progression who can link the forward line to the midfield.

In light of this, Kris feels that Leeds made the incorrect decision: “Solomon isn’t the right profile for us.”

“From what I’ve watched, Solomon loves to cut inside from the left wing and shoot from those kinds of locations. This was evident in the hat-trick he scored against Leeds back in 2023, as well as in everything else I’ve seen him play, whether it be at Tottenham, Fulham, or Shakhtar in the Ukraine.

“We need someone who can play more organically through the middle, which I don’t really see from Solomon that much, and that’s what Gnonto and possibly Ramazani prefer to do, so it would be a bit overdone for that left channel.