Victor Orta was an incredibly busy man during the summer transfer window following the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa, with a multitude of signings the priority ahead of a potential promotion push.
While the Whites are certainly not blessed with the riches which a club of their stature perhaps deserves, they possess a particular pulling power for potential signings based on their history and impressive infrastructure.
That pulling power enabled them to bring in plenty of new signings during the summer, but only Barry Douglas has really managed to capture the imagination of the supporters so far.
The Whites faithful are eagerly anticipating the return of Izzy Brown following his particularly troublesome injury problems, but there is a suggestion that Leeds were close to landing a player who would undoubtedly have lit up Elland Road.
According to Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Phil Hay, West Bromwich Albion hijacked Leeds’ bid for Harvey Barnes at the eleventh hour, provoking Victor Orta to smash his mobile phone when he threw it against the wall in anger.
A reaction of such frustration may well have seemed a little over the top before the season started, but the manner in which Barnes has thrived under Darren Moore’s tutelage suggests that Orta was acutely aware of the 20-year-old’s talents, and he simply couldn’t hide his disappointment at missing out on him to a promotion rival.
Playing on the the left-side of an attacking midfield three or in a number ten role behind the striker, Barnes has managed to scored 6 goals this season and provided a further 3 assists, including a composed finish to consign Leeds to only their third Championship defeat of the season last weekend.
The level of exuberance and determination offered by Barnes is mirrored by Jack Harrison, but there are clear lines of distinction to be drawn between the effectiveness of the two players and, based on how excellent Barnes has been this season, it’s easy to understand why Orta reacted with such anger after missing out on the Leicester City gem.
Leeds fans – thoughts? Let us know below!