Alex Chaffer, who is the Bundesliga’s international content manager, recently appeared on the Talking Shutt podcast to discuss the club’s recent signing, Robin Koch.
The Whites recently announced the German’s arrival (via leedsunited.com). According to Transfermarkt.co.uk, the Yorkshire-based club paid a reported £11.7m in order to secure the player’s services. Koch signed a four-year deal and was a regular in a Freiburg side that managed an eighth-place finish in the Bundesliga last season.
The 24-year-old made 32 appearances in the German top flight last season and his average performance rating was a solid 6.73/10 according to WhoScored.com. The centre-back has come in as a replacement for Ben White, who played every single minute of Leeds’ Championship winning season last time out; however, he has returned to his parent club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Whites have been unable to agree a deal that would see the move become permanent.
Are you pleased with the signing of Robin Koch?
Yes
No
However, Chaffer – who is also a Leeds United fan – is confident that in Koch, Marcelo Bielsa has landed the ideal replacement for the 22-year-old. Here is what he had to say:
“I think he’s the best alternative [to Ben White] I could’ve thought of, at least from the Bundesliga. He matches up to Ben White almost to a T; his biggest strength is his passing ability, be it direct balls into the midfield or long balls over the top, he can do it all. He played in the centre of a three-man defence at Freiburg, so I think that’s what Leeds saw in him – that not only is he matching up to Ben White’s abilities and his playing style, he’s also been trained in the same sort of formations and styles that Leeds play.”
TIF Thoughts…
The Leeds fans will likely take encouragement from what Chaffer has had to say. Given how similar to Ben White in profile he believes him to be, it could be argued that he will fit into Bielsa’s current system right away.