After a slow start out of the blocks this season, everything seemed to click into place for Leeds United away at Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out in the Premier League.
Obviously, the 3-1 win will have to be taken with a slight pinch of salt – considering Vitor Pereira’s Old Gold have now lost all five of their opening league clashes – but it was still a breakneck performance from Daniel Farke’s men, especially in that blistering first 45 minutes.
Staggeringly, before their trip to the West Midlands, Farke and Co. had only fired home one goal in league action all season. Those same nerves weren’t present at all at Molineux, however, as three strikes were put away by the visitors in quick succession.
Even more pleasing for Farke would be the nature of those goalscorers, with all three heroes on the day being brand-new recruits who can now kick on even more in West Yorkshire.
Leeds' standout new recruits
While there were grumbles among the Elland Road contingent when activity was sparse on transfer deadline day, there does need to be some recognition that Leeds have made a couple of standout purchases here and there.
Farke will be desperately hoping that Dominic Calvert-Lewin now finds himself deep in a purple patch of goalscoring form after heading home the equaliser at Molineux, with the ex-Everton marksman going down as an astute purchase if so on a free transfer.
Calvert-Lewin might well have steered Leeds back onto the initial road to recovery, but it was the combined efforts of both Anton Stach and Noah Okafor that would stylishly secure the three points.
Indeed, Stach would show no hesitation on the big stage when hammering home a sublime free-kick for 2-1, with the £20m purchase looking a Premier League-calibre talent already.
Okafor also justified his high £18m price-tag with the game-clinching strike on the stroke of half-time, with both the Swiss international and his German teammate hopeful they can continue putting in top-quality displays together to ensure survival is clinched.
The new midfield pairing also boasts hefty salaries – with the duo earning £72.5k-per-week and £45k-per-week respectively – but there is one high earner who rakes in even more who will now be worried about his long-term security in the first-team.
The Leeds star who earns more than Okafor & Stach
It isn’t the most shocking development that both Okafor and Stach can perform at the highest level of English football; however, considering both players in question have shone in the Bundesliga, the Serie A, and the Austrian Bundesliga previously, to name but a few of their past European destinations.
In stark contrast, Daniel James has never quite looked at ease in the Premier League, and with injury difficulties already getting the better of him so far this season, the 27-year-old could soon find it hard to nail down a first-team spot.
This isn’t to say that James hasn’t produced some moments of unbelievable magic at Leeds, with this spectacular effort last season seeing the Whites collect a promotion-boosting 3-1 victory.
But, it’s very clear when looking at the table below, that the hit-and-miss Welshman is a far more of an electric attacking threat in the EFL than he is when making the daunting step up to the Premier League.
Games played
110
109
Goals scored
12
29
Assists
13
25
In the EFL’s elite league to date, James has managed to collect a weighty 54 goal contributions from 109 overall clashes, with the spotlight often beamed down on him as Leeds’ main man down the right channel.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been as devastating in the Premier League as a full-throttle option, with just nine of his 25 goal contributions in the unforgiving division coming in West Yorkshire.
His regular hiccups in the top-flight even saw TalkSPORT’s outspoken Simon Jordan label him as a “fundamental disappointment” in 2022, with those words still ringing true when you consider the one-time Manchester United attacker has also collected zero goals or assists this season when fit.
When further realising James also pockets a steep £75k-per-week pay packet, which is more than both Okafor and Stach earn, it’s clear that Leeds are handing out an unnecessarily excessive salary.
With his current contract in play until 2029, it’s unlikely that Farke will part ways with James anytime soon.
But, with Okafor proving that the new guard at the German’s disposal are instantly Premier League ready, don’t expect the Welshman to instantly jump back into his first-team plans.
49ers buzzing: Leeds "very happy" with £72,500-a-week star who loves Farke
He’s already bagged his first goal.
ByCallum Kemp
