• Sat. Dec 21st, 2024

£65m of attacking talent among key players to watch this weekend

Byoxfordnewspaper

Dec 20, 2024

OXFORD United make the trip to Elland Road in what will be the club’s first game since the sacking of Des Buckingham.

Daniel Farke’s Leeds United side will pose a daunting challenge, with the team sitting second in the Sky Bet Championship table and boasting the best home record in the division.

We picked out six key players to keep an eye out for at Elland Road.

READ ALSO: Expert insight on what to expect from U’s managerial target

Illan Meslier

The 24-year-old French goalkeeper joined initially on loan from FC Lorient, before signing permanently in a reported £5.8 million switch in July 2020.

In total, he’s played 198 times for the Whites, and has drawn praise for his ability to play out from the back.

Meslier has also made a couple of high-profile mistakes between the posts, but is undoubtedly the club’s number one choice.

Pascal Struijk

The 25-year-old defender made his professional debut for the Whites in December 2019, and has gone on to feature 143 times for the club.

Eighty-five of those appearances came in the Premier League, where he got on the scoresheet four times.

This season, he has started each of the Whites’ 21 league games, and has grabbed two goals in the process.

Brenden Aaronson

The USA international attacker, 24, started his career at Philadelphia Union and RB Salzburg, prior to a staggering £25m move to the Whites in May 2022.

He joined Union Berlin on loan for the 2023/24 season, and has established himself as a key player this campaign.

Aaronson has five goals and an assist across 21 league appearances this season.

Wilfried Gnonto

The 21-year-old Italy international winger brings the wow factor to this Leeds side.

He began his professional career at FC Zurich, and switched to Elland Road on summer deadline day in 2022.

Since then, he’s scored 17 goals in 94 games, and has grabbed four goal and five assists so far this season.

Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto (Image: Danny Lawson/ PA Wire) Daniel James

Providing a threat on the other side is 27-year-old Wales international James, who began his professional career at Swansea City and then made a high-profile £15m switch to Manchester United in June 2019.

Things didn’t quite work out at Old Trafford, but a £25m move to Leeds followed on summer deadline day in 2021.

He’s scored 21 goals in 101 games for the Whites, and spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Fulham.

Joel Piroe

The 25-year-old Dutch striker was signed from Swansea in August 2023, following two goal-filled years with the Swans.

Piroe netted 46 times in 96 games, and joined Leeds for a fee reported to be north of £10m.

He scored 14 times last season, and leads the way with seven so far this campaign.