There are countless rumours of Raphinha leaving Elland Road, but fans may be about to see a new addition in the wide area, according to Fabrizio Romano. With Twitter aflame with transfer talk, Romano has Leeds United linked with creative winger Noa Lang of Club Brugge.
Do Leeds United Need Noa Lang?
A New Winger Lined-Up for Leeds United
After a grand return to the Premier League, now comes phase two. Victor Orta, the Leeds United Director of Football, is tasked with leading the recruitment drive for the next stage of their development.
Leeds currently have Helder Costa and Ian Poveda covering for Raphinha and Jack Harrison in the wide areas. Would a new man bring added competition or signal an exit for a current player? With Tyler Roberts recently penning a new deal he isn’t going anywhere any time soon. But Pablo Hernandez has moved on and he may not be the last man out of the door.
Noa’s Story Arc
Noa Lang has quite the story arc. He was raised by his stepfather, former Morocco international Nourdin Boukhari. He also played for Ajax himself between 2002 and 2006. After academy stardom, Lang quickly made an impression on the first team. He became the first player to score on his first Eredivisie start for Ajax in over 60 years with victory over FC Twente.
However, things quickly turned sour. Lang received a public dressing down from Ajax coach Erik ten Hag in the middle of a match for not following instructions from his captain. “I have had my stupid moments, I did not behave well. It is also largely my fault” said Lang upon reflection.
Lang Looking for Reprieve in Brugge
Lang is trying to make amends in Belgium. The 21-year-old has been on loan with Brugge this season and 16 goals in all competitions are certainly making people sit up and take note. Lang has now moved permanently to Brugge for €6m as part of the loan agreement with Ajax. But this will not hinder a big-money move elsewhere this summer.
There are still some concerns over his attitude and conduct, however. Leeds United decided not to sign Michaël Cuisance last summer due to similar concerns. His recent departure from Marseille proof of a decision well made.
Lang has always been confident but recently got himself into some trouble with an anti-semitic song following Club Brugge’s title win. He was shown on social media joining in the song with Brugge supporters, a piece meant to be a slant at rivals Anderlecht. Currently under investigation by the Belgian FA, there may be repercussions to come.
Lang: A Versatile, High-Pressing Forward
With the Telegraph also linking Leeds with Lang, if anyone can curb Noa Lang’s wild side it will be Marcelo Bielsa. El Loco has built a close, united group of players at Elland Road. With so many strong characters and leaders in the group, Bielsa won’t be short of a General or two to take the young Dutchman under their wing.
Joe Donnohue told LeedsLive about the appeal of Lang: “Lang plays predominantly as a left-sided forward, but is versatile and has been used in a number of positions throughout his footballing education at Ajax’s famed academy setup De Toekomst. He is an energetic, hard-working, high-pressing forward who plays across the front, finding space between lines,” he writes.
Such is his flexibility, work ethic, and skill set, you can see why Leeds United has been linked with creative winger Noa Lang. With many years of his career to come, maybe a tough disciplinary regime is Lang overdue.
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