A major talking point surrounding Leeds United at the moment is their lack of firepower in the Premier League this season. Despite storming to the Championship title last term with 95 goals, Daniel Farke’s men have struggled badly in front of goal since stepping back up. After four league matches, the Whites are still waiting for their first goal from open play. The only strike so far came courtesy of a Lukas Nmecha penalty against Everton on the opening day.
Since then, Leeds have failed to score in defeats to Arsenal and Fulham, as well as in their draw with Newcastle United. That drought has left them among the poorest sides in the division in terms of attacking output, a worrying trend so early into the campaign. This has inevitably raised questions about the decision to loan out Largie Ramazani to Valencia, rather than keep him as part of the squad.
| Leeds United’s attacking struggles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stat | Leeds | Premier League rank |
| xG | 3.8 | 15th |
| Goals scored per game | 0.3 | 19th |
| Open play goals per game | 0.0 | Joint-20th |
| Shots on target per game | 2.0 | 20th |
| Big chances created | 5 | 17th |
| Touches in the opposition’s box | 74 | 17th |
| Stats via FotMob | ||
Farke opted to send the Belgian forward out for the season, preferring to rely on Noah Okafor, Brenden Aaronson, Jack Harrison, Wilfried Gnonto, and Dan James in the wide positions. However, doubts remain over whether that group is good enough to consistently deliver at Premier League level. Statistics from previous seasons highlight the issue: James managed only one assist in 24 league games, Aaronson just three in 36, and Harrison none in 34 outings for Everton last term. Okafor, meanwhile, arrives in England without a single assist in 15 Serie A appearances during 2024/25.
By contrast, Ramazani has already registered an assist in two games for Valencia in LaLiga, showing the spark that Leeds are currently lacking. Even in limited Championship minutes last season, he was highly effective, averaging 0.92 goal contributions per 90 minutes, with six goals and two assists despite starting only seven matches. His absence is being felt, and the decision to loan him looks increasingly questionable.
Yet Ramazani is not the only player whose departure now looks like a costly mistake. Perhaps even more damaging was Leeds’ decision to sell goalkeeper Elia Caprile to Bari for just £1.4m back in 2022 under Jesse Marsch and Victor Orta. The Italian’s career trajectory since then makes that call look like a serious misjudgment.
| 24/25 Championship | Largie Ramazani per 90 | Percentile rank vs wingers |
|---|---|---|
| Non-penalty xG | 0.54 | Top 2% |
| Shots on target | 1,84 | Top 2% |
| Goals | 0.69 | Top 2% |
| Assists | 0.23 | Top 20% |
| Chances created | 1.50 | Top 32% |
| Dribbles completed | 2.07 | Top 15% |
| Stats via FotMob | ||
Caprile impressed in Serie B with Bari, earning a move to Napoli in 2023 before spending a season on loan with Empoli. Talent scout Jacek Kulig even labelled him a “superstar” during his Bari days, after he kept 15 clean sheets. He has since gone on to excel in Serie A, recording standout shot-stopping numbers across spells with Empoli, Napoli, and Cagliari. His performances included saving 70–75% of shots faced and preventing significant expected goals, leading to a permanent transfer to Cagliari in 2025.
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Now valued at £7.8m, Caprile has shown the qualities of a top-tier goalkeeper and, crucially, has outperformed Leeds’ current No.1 Lucas Perri this season. The club spent £15.6m to bring in Perri from Lyon over the summer, a sizeable outlay that might have been avoided had they simply retained Caprile. Keeping him could also have freed up funds for strengthening in attacking areas, where Leeds are clearly short.
| 25/26 season | Caprile (Serie A) | Perri (Premier League) |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 3 | 3 |
| Sofascore rating | 7.23 | 6.07 |
| Saves per game | 3.7 | 1.0 |
| Save success rate | 85% | 38% |
| Goals prevented | +0.66 | -1.99 |
| Error led to shot/goal | 0 | 0 |
| Stats via Sofascore | ||
Ultimately, while the decision to loan out Ramazani has raised concerns, the sale of Caprile appears an even greater blunder. Unlike the Belgian winger, who could still return to Elland Road, the Italian goalkeeper was permanently moved on before being given the chance to prove his ability in a Leeds shirt. In hindsight, the club let a future star slip through their hands for a fraction of his true value.
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