Leeds United confirm interest in marauding midfielder Han-Noah Massengo
Han Noah Massengo 2023
Leeds United are interested in signing 22-year-old French midfielder Han-Noah Massengo, according to reports.
Recent reports have confirmed that Han-Noah Massengo is a player who Leeds United are considering a move for.
Leeds United target free agent
Signing the French forward could prove fairly straightforward as the 22-year-old has become a free agent after leaving Bristol City.
The Robins may have paid as much as £7 million for Massengo, depending on if add-ons were met since he joined at the age of 18.
He'd command modest wages at Elland Road and although there's no transfer fee to pay, the Championship club would be due compensation per FIFA regulations.
The regulations dictate that a transfer within Europe would result in a fee of around £250,000 while a far greater fee would be owed if he moves to an English club.
Massengo was considered quite the coup when he made the move to BS3 and was considered a rising star in European circles.
He quickly established himself as a fan favourite with his energetic performances in the midfield but struggled for inconsistency when deployed as a defensive midfielder.
Han-Noah Massengo style of play
City fans will be quick to admit that the Frenchman is a thrilling player full of technical quality, energy and the ability to influence a game despite his age.
His most notable skill is the way he glides around the pitch whilst carrying the ball, which could make him a perfect bridge between defence and attack.
He completed an impressive 91% of his passes when playing 181 minutes for Monaco in the Champions League at the age of 18.
He shows a preference for short passing and ball retention, completing 86% of his passes in Ligue 1 last season and playing one key pass per game.
One frustration for Leeds fans last season was Marc Roca's inability to keep possession and preference for long balls. He misplaced 22% of passes and played more than 4 long balls per game.
The biggest difference is that while the Spaniards long passes were largely unsuccessful, the French transfer target completed 66% of his attempts.
Where Massengo will play for Leeds
There's no suggestion that he could operate as an effective number 10 and Leeds are looking elsewhere in that department - namely Gustavo Hamer from Coventry City.
Goals and assists are significantly absent from his game but that can be a trait that develops as a box-to-box midfielder matures.
Leeds are looking for several midfielder reinforcements but could be well-stocked in deep-lying areas, so this signing would feel like an acquisition of a number eight.
That role has been filled by Mateusz Klich, Stuart Dallas, Marc Roca and Weston McKennie in recent seasons.
Daniel Farke favours a 4-2-3-1 that can be vertical and quick in transition, but his sides also tend to dominate posession.
No one was better at keeping the ball than Norwich City in the 2020/21 Championship as the Canaries dominated 58.3% of possession, while Bournemouth ranked second with 56%.
Massengo's energy when pressing, his preference to play it simple and keep the ball and the ability to drive into space to open teams up in transition is exactly what the system requires.
However, the Whites are likely to face some stiff competition with Premier League clubs, including Burnley, and many suitors around Europe considering a bid.
The Monaco academy graduate made 100 appearances for Bristol City before spending the second half of last season on loan at Ligue 1 side Auxerre.
