Back to reality and back to Championship football. Leeds United has been here before and knows how to escape, but it is a completely different set-up to previous years.
The club was led by the popular and tactically generational Marcelo Bielsa in the scintillating title victory in the 2019/20 season.
Now, the club is attempting to heal from a highly dysfunctional season that oversaw three different managers, a clueless hierarchy, and a deserved relegation.
But, the confirmation of a new ownership will yield fresh ideas and a different vision. The 49ers have made an intelligent first step, appointing two-time Championship winner Daniel Farke to reverse Leeds’ tumultuous fortunes.
As the rebuild begins to source reliable performers to form a promotion push, Grady Diangana would be an astute start to the process.
What’s the latest on Grady Diangana to Leeds United?
According to The Express and Star, Leeds is said to be 'keeping tabs' on Diangana alongside fellow recently-relegated sides Leicester City and Southampton.
Carlos Corberan’s side is in need of balancing the books and the Whites have sensed an opportunity to bounce, and secure of one West Brom’s most valuable assets.
Last month, Nick Hammond was named as the club’s interim football advisor, and it’s assumed he will move away from Victor Orta’s investment in unproven and experimental signings, toward more well-known assets.
The exits of Robin Koch and Brenden Aaronson have already been confirmed to create space for a player that could massively improve the side for next season.
Who can Grady Diangana emulate at Leeds United?
The winger began his career in the West Ham youth system in 2010 and went on to make 21 appearances for the senior side. He then joined West Brom on loan in 2018 and recorded 15 goal involvements in the Championship.
The attacker was then sold on a permanent deal to the Midlands outfit to spark huge disappointment within the Hammers players and supporters. Then-captain Mark Noble poignantly remarked that he was “gutted, angry and sad” that the youngster had been allowed to so easily depart to underline how he was a force brimming with potential.
This season, Diangana has endured a less productive year, but he has still contributed a respectable seven goals and assists in 21 starts. Nevertheless, the £20k-per-week man has still averaged the second-most dribbles per game (1.1) and the third-highest key passes per game (1.3) in the Baggies squad.
Since Raphinha departed Elland Road for Barcelona last summer, Leeds has been craving a tricky and reliable wide presence. The Brazilian registered 29 goal involvements in 65 Premier League outings, as he established himself as one of the club’s most influential and important performers.
He has continued this magisterial form in Catalonia as the £212k-per-week star ranks within the best 15% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for shot-creating actions per 90, xAG (expected assisted goals) per 90, and total shots per 90, showcasing his devastating attacking threat.
As a fellow left-footer who also typically operates on the flanks, Diangana could then prove to be the man to emulate the former Whites star's heroics at Elland Road, having been lauded as a player capable of producing moments of "magic", in the words of journalist Graeme Brown.
Raphinha’s void is seemingly yet to be sufficiently filled – as Leeds' recent drop into the second tier can attest to – so the signing of the “magnificent” Diangana, as described by Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie, could be the man to do so.