Leeds United got their transfer business in the summer of 2023 all wrong and it ended up with the club being relegated from the Premier League.
Jesse Marsch was given the freedom to bring in his own signings and decided to form reunions with a number of players like Rasmus Kristensen, Max Wober and Brenden Aaronson who all flopped at Leeds.
A number of players signed by Victor Orta and Marsch left just a season late, using Orta’s relegation loan clause. The aforementioned trio, Marc Roca and Luis Sinisterra all left after being signed a season earlier.
Marsch’s signings didn’t work and it was a big factor in our relegation in 2022-23. The American never signed a striker at Elland Road – even though he was keen on signing another one of his old players.
Hwang Hee-chan worked under Marsch at Salzburg and Leipzig before moving to Wolves initially on loan and then on a permanent £14m deal. In January 2023, Phil Hay said Leeds really wanted to sign Hwang.
Joining Wolves in the summer of 2021, Hwang managed just nine goals and four assists in 63 matches for The Midlands club. It mean that when Leeds links arrived, fans were not that encouraged by a signing.
Marsch left in February, but actually, the former Leeds manager was right all along about Hwang.
Leeds should have signed Hwang when they got the chance
This season, Hwang has been finally backed as a starting option by Wolves manager Gary O’Neil and he has repaid the Molineux gaffer. That is even despite representing South Korea at the Asian Cup.
He has played 28 times, scoring 12 goals and laying on three assists with 11 goals coming in the Premier League. Excellent form from a player O’Neil has recently described as “intelligent” in the final third.
Marsch failed to make the one signing that might have helped
Rodrigo, Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt were Marsch’s options up top. Rodrigo was excellent last season but by the time the January window had closed, Rodrigo had broken his foot in The FA Cup.
Bamford’s inability to stay fit for long periods of time were having an effect on his form. Of all the signings and reunions Marsch made, Hwang was the one he should have signed to give Leeds firepower.
Instead, Leeds never signed a striker and The Whites were relegated into the Championship. They might remain there this season after failing to hold onto second with Ipswich destined to be promoted.