This week Leeds United’s Athletic correspondent Phil Hay indicated that John Swift is on the radar for the West Yorkshire club during a Q&A.
Phil Hay was asked:
“Watkins, Eze, White and Swift. Good young players from the Championship. Would love Benrahma but same position as Harrison.”
He replied:
“Swift is someone who has been on Leeds’ radar before. They like him and if you remember the recent game at Elland Road, they worked hard to do a job on him in midfield.”
The midfielder is currently a Reading FC player, but his contract is tying him down until the summer of 2022. Leeds would likely have to at least match the player’s £4.5 million transfer value to secure his services, despite him joining his current club on a free transfer from Chelsea’s U23 team back in 2016.
But, why is Marcelo Bielsa so keen on bringing Swift to Elland Road?
TIF Tactics – Why is John Swift on Leeds’ radar?
Right off the bat, Swift’s goal-scoring and assist record is impressive. In 32 Championship games this season, the player has scored five times and assisted 10 goals from the middle of the field. He has a goal participation rate of 32% for Reading, meaning he has a hand in almost one out of every three goals the side scores.
While he has played as a central midfielder in seven games this season, his remaining 29 outings for Leeds have been from a more advanced midfield role, indicating the player’s attacking intent. However, statistics suggest that he is capable of contributing to his team’s goal-scoring efforts from either position.
Swift, who is valued at £4.5 million (as per Transfermarkt), has been Reading’s best performer in the Championship this season as well, averaging a rating of 7.32/10 in league games this season. No player has a better average rating for the side.
The 24-year-old is a talented freekick taker and has strong defensive contributions, despite his attacking talents. His passing is also impressive, despite the player showing a need to improve his finishing.
Should Swift make the move to Elland Road, he will certainly provide Leeds’ Argentinian manager with some added flair going forward.
Will Leeds United sign John Swift?
Yes
No
The player is the sixth best ranked Championship player on WhoScored as well, with no Leeds players topping him in the charts.