Five players Leeds United can sign to replace Crysencio Summerville

Replacing your star man is never an easy task, but Leeds United could find themselves needing to do just that if Crysencio Summerville leaves Elland Road in the coming months.

June 14 will see the summer transfer window officially open, and although it may be masked by the European Championships in Germany at least for four weeks, clubs are expected to burst into life and prepare as best as possible for the season ahead. For Leeds, that will be in the second tier following last month's play-off final defeat, and has resulted in the risk of losing star players.

Summerville is one example, having proven his worth by scoring 19 Championship goals whilst recording nine assists to become the club's biggest contributor in front of goal. Leeds will be reluctant to sell, though financial restrictions may force their hand as Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Liverpool have been named potential suitors at this early stage.

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Whilst the 22-year-old has not yet hinted towards his future, a suitable offer could prove too tempting for both club and player to turn down in the current landscape. It will leave big shoes to fill, but it won't be an impossible task, as Leeds Live analyse five top candidates to fit into Daniel Farke's system in Summerville's place...

Andreas Skov Olsen - Club Brugge

Ranked most similar to Summerville in Fbref.com's database of players, Club Brugge's Andreas Skov Olsen is another of Europe's most highly-coveted talents. He is expected to make his way to the major leagues in future, but Leeds have the opportunity to get their foot in the door and wrap up a deal this summer.

At 24, the Norwegian international is coming off the back of a Juniper Pro League-winning season, during which he scored 10 goals and made four assists in 28 matches. He was a nightmare for defenders as he ranked higher than any other player in the division for progressive carries of the ball (ave. 5.7 per 90 mins).

Though the key difference to Summerville is that Skov Olsen plays primarily as a right winger using his stronger left foot, unlike Leeds' current option who cuts in from the left side and causes trouble with his right foot. His arrival would hand Farke the task of balancing his starting line-up correctly.

Juan Brunetta - Tigres UANL

If sheer goalscoring output is the aim, then the unconventional shout of a look to the Mexican first division may be in order.

Juan Brunetta, an Argentine option who had a two-year loan foray into European football with Italian side Parma in the past, has primarily plied his trade in his homeland and more recently in Central America. Midway through the 2023/24 campaign he switched from Santos Laguna to rivals Tigres UANL, and between the two clubs notched 17 goals within the last year.

Adding to that were 15 assists, proving he has a keen eye for goal. At 27-years-old, this direct left-wing option makes for an interesting suggestion that will surely have limited competition in the market.

Jack Clarke - Sunderland

Closer to home now, and Sunderland's Jack Clarke could be in line for a homecoming upon Summerville's exit.

The 23-year-old was once the gem of Leeds' academy, though departed when Tottenham Hotspur flexed their muscles in the transfer market. Unfortunately for Clarke this didn't work out in the long run as he was sent on four separate loans, until swapping North London for the North East permanently, where he has since found his feet.

In 40 Championship appearances he almost matched Summerville's tally with 15 strikes of his own from the left flank, and added a further four assists to his name. His performances have sparked transfer talk heading into the summer window, to both top-flight and second-flight teams.

Jaden Philogene - Hull City

Similarly, Jaden Philogene is another Championship player Leeds can pluck from their rivals. Last season he also displayed fine form in front of goal, scoring twelve and setting up team-mates on six occasions, and like Summerville was always seeking to get Hull City on the front foot with ninth-most progressive carries and seventh-most progressive passes received in the division.

His versatility allows him to take up positions either side of the central attackers - another defining trait on a long list of qualities that once made him one of Aston Villa's most exciting youth prospects. His exit from the West Midlands proves his strong-mindedness at just 22, having handed in a transfer request to Unai Emery in search of regular minutes instead of taking a place on the bench.

Karamoko Dembele - Blackpool

Tipped for greatness when making his Celtic Under-20s debut at the age of 13, Karamoko Dembele's rise has not been as meteoric as once expected. That said, he is still only 21 years of age, and has started to find his feet within the English football pyramid.

On loan from French outfit Brest to Blackpool in the 2023/24 campaign, he made 39 League One appearances, scoring eight and assisting a further 13 strikes. He has since been linked to a number of Premier League and Championship clubs - Leeds being one of them.

Like Skov Olsen, he is not a direct mirror of Summerville as he plays with his stronger left foot cutting inside from the right flank. This would require tactical tweaks to make the opposite side the stronger of the two, or specialist coaching to help the player make the cross-field transition.