Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear has revealed the club’s interest in signing James McAtee and Fabio Carvalho during the summer transfer window. Following a second successive summer exodus due to Leeds’ failure to secure promotion back to the Premier League, the club was forced to rebuild its squad while retaining key players like Willy Gnonto.
Though Leeds managed to make late moves for Manor Solomon and Largie Ramazani to bolster their wide attacking options, they struggled to replace the departing Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter directly. This left Daniel Farke’s side with a noticeable gap in the attacking midfield, an area of concern for a team aiming to return to the top flight.
Leeds United’s Angus Kinnear on McAtee and Carvalho pursuits
In a recent appearance on The Square Ball podcast, Leeds United CEO Angus Kinnear openly discussed the club’s attempts to strengthen their squad in the summer.
Kinnear admitted that while Leeds pursued high-profile targets like Gus Hamer and Emi Buendia, the club was also eyeing Manchester City’s James McAtee and Liverpool’s Fabio Carvalho.
Kinnear explained that there had been ongoing speculation about McAtee’s potential availability throughout the transfer window. However, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola ultimately decided to keep the young midfielder, despite Leeds hoping for a late breakthrough.
Similarly, Carvalho was a target for Leeds, with the club expecting to be in prime position for a Championship loan deal. Unfortunately for Leeds, Carvalho ended up moving permanently to Brentford for £27 million, a price far beyond what Leeds could offer. Kinnear expressed his frustration over missing out on these key targets, stating that to compete at the highest level, Leeds needed to shop for top talent, even if it was challenging.
Fabio Carvalho. Credit: Imago Images
“Two of the other players, looking at the level we were looking at, McAtee at Man City, there was talk he might be released all the way through the window and then Pep [Guardiola] decided to keep him,” Kinnear said.
“And then Carvalho, who, again, might have been able to go out on another loan.
“It might have been a Championship loan or a Premier League loan. We thought we were first in the queue if it was going to be in the Championship and he ended up being sold for £27m to Brentford.
“To strengthen our team and to make it better, we have to shop at the highest level possible. And there is lots and lots of frustration.”
Overview of Liverpool’s youth transfers for summer 2024/25
While Carvalho moved on to Brentford, Liverpool also focused on youth development this summer.
The Reds secured the signings of promising talents Rio Ngumoha and Alvin Ayman, continuing their long-standing tradition of investing in young players.
By bringing in these prospects, Liverpool are looking to nurture future stars who can eventually contribute to the first team.
Leeds’ pursuit of Carvalho highlights the club’s ambition to target top-tier young talent, but Liverpool’s ability to secure and develop youth prospects like Ngumoha and Ayman demonstrates the importance of planning for the future in football’s ever-evolving landscape. Both clubs are looking to the next generation as they aim to strengthen their squads.
