Leeds United: "Immense" Pablo Hernandez claim made as bargain discussed | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit has highlighted the best bargain signing by the club

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Daniel Farke will be hoping that Leeds United’s summer transfer business will be good enough to help them secure promotion back to the Premier League.

The Whites have lost key players like Glen Kamara, Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville since suffering defeat in the play-off final last May.

But the permanent addition of Joe Rodon will be welcomed by supporters after his successful loan spell at Elland Road last season.

Alex Cairns, Joe Rothwell and Jayden Bogle have also joined the club over the summer, with the Whites targeting a top two finish in the table.

Leeds United’s best transfer bargain

FLW’s Leeds fan pundit Kris Smith believes that Pablo Hernández is the best bargain signing the club have made in his time following the club.

He believes that the Spaniard was one of several players to really shine under Marcelo Bielsa, and that he was key to their promotion in 2020.

“Looking at the best bargain signings while I’ve been watching Leeds, I think a lot of them come from the time when Marcelo Bielsa was managing us because of the way he improved so many players that didn’t join us for big fees in the Championship,” Smith told Football League World.

“So, there’s that many to choose from, you’ve obviously got Luke Ayling and Liam Cooper, players that weren’t that great beforehand turning into world beaters.

“But the one that stands out for me, that was good before Bielsa came in, was Pablo Hernández.

“He joined the club on a free transfer, essentially for nothing, after going off the grid in the middle east prior to that.

“He came to Leeds with a bit of prestige though, knowing how good he was at Swansea when they were at their peak in the Premier League.

“But the expectation that Leeds fans had, he blew that out of the water.

“That’s especially coming from the fact he was in his mid-30s, and physically in decline year-on-year when he was at Leeds.

“Not only was he the only good thing about Leeds in the season before Bielsa when we were struggling really, and a bunch of signings didn’t hit the ground running.

“But when Bielsa came in, he became the best playmaker in the division and elevated to an immense standard, and became a legend of the club when he dragged us to promotion.

“Obviously that goal away at Swansea, sealing us going back up effectively, is the bit that stands out for everyone.

“It’s painted on the walls at Leeds city centre.

“Coming in for virtually nothing is the best signing I’ve seen at Leeds, and it’s even more so that he’s arguably the best and most successful player I’ve ever seen play for the club.”

Pablo Hernandez’s importance to Leeds

Hernández initially joined Leeds on loan in August 2016 before making it a permanent move in January 2017.

During his time with the Yorkshire outfit, he made 151 appearances in the Championship, and a further 16 in the Premier League (all stats from Fbref).

The midfielder contributed an impressive 12 goals and 12 assists in 2018/19 as the club came third in the table, which he followed up with nine goals and nine assists the year later as promotion was finally secured.

While he was unable to make as much of an impact in the top flight, there is no doubt he was crucial to their return to the Premier League under Bielsa.

Hernandez would be great addition to Farke’s side now

Someone of Hernández’s quality in the current Leeds side now would be massively valuable.

The Whites saw the final few years of his career, and he really shone in the Championship, bringing a level of class to the team that the rest of the division lacked.

If Farke’s side had someone of his quality in midfield last season, then perhaps they could’ve got over the line for promotion.

This summer’s current signings will be hoping to make a similar impact on the team over the course of this year to help the club return to the Premier League.