Leeds United are currently fighting to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking as they are battling it out with at least three other clubs.
Leicester City, Southampton, and Ipswich Town are also firmly in the race to finish in the top two in the Championship by the end of the season, to avoid the lottery of the play-offs.
The Whites, in second, and the Foxes, in first, are the two teams leading the race at this moment in time, and Daniel Farke will be hoping that it stays that way.
If Leeds do win promotion back to the top-flight they know that their recruitment will need to be spot on to give them the best chance of staying up, as it was when they were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa.
Chelsea were criticised for their 'ludicrous' spending by pundit Danny Murphy last year but they got the signing of Cole Palmer from Manchester City spot on last summer.
The England international has been on fire for the Blues in the Premier League this season but Leeds have already signed and sold their own version of the left-footed whiz in the top division with Brazilian flair winger Raphinha.
Cole Palmer's Premier League stats for Chelsea
Palmer, like the former Leeds star, is a left-footed wizard who typically operates down the right wing but also likes to drift into central positions to affect matches with his quality on the ball.
The 21-year-old phenomenon has been a star for Mauricio Pochettino's team as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which was perfectly illustrated with his goal and assist in a 3-2 win for Chelsea over Newcastle on Monday night.
Appearances
24
Goals
11
Assists
8
Big chances created
9
Key passes per game
1.5
As you can see in the table above, the former Manchester City starlet has directly contributed to 19 goals in 24 appearances in the Premier League so far.
He ranks within the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for Expected Assisted Goals (0.34) and assists (0.41) per 90 respectively, and the top 4% for progressive passes (6.84) per 90.
These statistics show that Palmer has been an outstanding operator, particularly as a creative threat, in the Premier League out wide for Chelsea this season, which suggests that Pochettino struck gold by signing him from their rivals in the last summer transfer window.
Leeds fans watching on from the Championship may see similarities between him and their former hero Raphinha, who the club hit the jackpot with during his time in Yorkshire.
How much Leeds paid for Raphinha
Former Whites sporting director Victor Orta snapped up the 23-year-old forward from Ligue 1 side Rennes for an initial fee of £17m in the summer of 2020.
Leeds had just been promoted to the top-flight under Bielsa, in the 2019/20 Championship campaign, and splashed the cash to bolster their attack.
There was no guarantee, however, that Raphinha would be a success at Elland Road as he had just come off the back of a return of five goals and three assists in 22 Ligue 1 matches for Rennes the previous season.
It was similar to the risk that Chelsea took with Palmer, who only managed six goals and two assists in 41 first-team matches for Manchester City before his move to Stamford Bridge, last summer.
Orta's gamble paid off big time for Leeds from both a footballing and financial perspective, as Raphinha hit the ground running on the pitch, and his market value soared as a result.
The Brazil international produced six goals and nine assists in 30 appearances in the Premier League during his first season with the club, as Bielsa, who hailed the whiz as "potent", led the team to safety.
He also had reason to be frustrated with his teammates as they only scored nine goals from his 12 'big chances' created and 63 key passes in the top-flight that term.
These statistics show that the winger provided consistent quality as a left-footed scorer and a creator of goals from the right flank, as the aforementioned Palmer has for Chelsea this season.
How much Leeds sold Raphinha for
The Brazilian magician stayed at Elland Road for another year before being sold to Spanish giants Barcelona in a deal reported to be worth £55m in the summer of 2022.
This meant that his value skyrocketed by a staggering £38m, from the initial £17m that they paid Rennes to secure his services in 2020, in just two years in England.
The LaLiga side swooped in to secure his signature after another impressive campaign of performances on the right flank in the Premier League for Leeds.
Appearances
35
Goals
11
Assists
3
Big chances created
10
Key passes per game
1.9
Dribbles completed per game
1.8
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table, Raphinha – once again – provided consistent quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals on the right flank under Bielsa and Jesse Marsch.
He also had a right to be frustrated with his fellow attackers again as they did not make the most of the quality chances that he created for them, with three goals scored from ten 'big chances' created.
This meant that Raphinha produced 22 'big chances' for his teammates in two Premier League seasons but was only rewarded with 12 assists for his efforts.
Even with those spurned opportunities, the Brazil international's outstanding play at the top end of the pitch helped the Whites to avoid relegation for the second season in succession.
This led to his transfer to Barcelona, for a profit of £38m for the Yorkshire-based outfit, and Leeds went on to be relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
If Farke's side win promotion to the top-flight this season then they will need to repeat the masterclass Orta played with the signing of Raphinha, and the one Chelsea played with Palmer, by taking a gamble on an exciting young forward who could explode and thrive with regular game time at Elland Road in the top-flight over the years to come.
