Leeds United boss Daniel Farke claims Jaidon Anthony was ‘really desperate’ to join the club on transfer deadline day.
Jaidon Anthony will play a ‘pretty important’ role at Leeds United after securing his move to Elland Road late on deadline day.
The Whites had to do some wheeling and dealing as the deadline approached on Friday.
Bournemouth wanted to sign Leeds winger Luis Sinisterra with the idea of reuniting him with former Whites teammate Tyler Adams.
Sinisterra secured his move to the South Coast but only after Leeds managed to secure a replacement coming the other way.
Cherries wide man Anthony was sent on loan to Leeds in exchange for Sinisterra, handing Daniel Farke an immediate replacement.
The 23-year-old has now been praised by Leeds boss Farke, who has been speaking to Leeds Live.
Farke believes that Anthony is the ‘best possible option’ to replace Sinisterra because he has Championship experience under his belt.
Anthony has already played 50 Championship games in his Bournemouth career, bagging eight goals and seven assists.
Farke believes that will be a major addition to the Leeds side and claims that he was ‘really desperate’ to join the club on transfer deadline day.
Farke added that Anthony will now play a ‘pretty important role’ for Leeds moving forward as he looks to replace Sinisterra.
“I think with Jaidon Anthony I think we found the best possible option because he’s a proven Championship player, he’s delivered with many good performances for Bournemouth on this level,” said Farke. “He has started the first games on Premier League level and has played so many games in Premier League level, brilliant lad, also really desperate to be here.”
“He’s still an age where he can improve. You can’t compare him with Luis because he was a proven international player and Jaidon is still young, we want to improve and want to work with him but he has also lots of quality and lots of potential to work with him.”
“Right now the reality is Jaidon is in and we are all happy that we have him and it’s the same with all the other guys, thank God the transfer window has closed. We can concentrate on football, we can concentrate on the work and I think Jaidon will definitely play also a pretty important role for us in the upcoming months,” he added.
Jaidon Anthony was being linked with Arsenal just months ago
Anthony does feel like something of a coup for Leeds, even if only on loan.
Anthony has been featuring in the opening weeks of the Premier League season, playing 153 minutes in the top flight.
It’s also worth noting that Anthony was attracting lofty interest earlier this year.
The Daily Mail reported in January that Arsenal were looking to bring Anthony back to the club.
The Gunners released London-born Anthony as a kid but his performances for Bournemouth last season put him back on Arsenal’s radar.
Fast forward a few months and Anthony is now heading to Leeds on loan, no doubt looking to prove that he is a Premier League-quality winger.
Losing Sinisterra is a blow, of course, but Leeds may well have a top talent on their hands in Anthony.