Sheffield United secured the highly sought-after signing of Jesurun Rak-Sakyi from Crystal Palace this summer, and Chris Wilder has refuted Daniel Farke’s assertions regarding guaranteed playing time.
With just one week remaining in the transfer window, Leeds United still have work to do, although they recently signed Largie Ramazani on a four-year contract to replace Crysencio Summerville.
Ramazani wasn’t Leeds’ primary target for strengthening their wide positions, but the club found his acquisition on their terms to be a practical choice—unlike the case with Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
The Crystal Palace winger was in high demand over the past month, with several Championship clubs, including Leeds, interested in signing him either on a permanent basis or on loan. Ultimately, Rak-Sakyi opted to join Sheffield United instead.
When asked about loan signings from Premier League clubs, Leeds manager Daniel Farke offered insights that might explain why the club didn’t secure Rak-Sakyi:
“Yes, but if you ask me, a permanent signing is always better because the player is then fully committed and our player to develop. The loan market can be tricky. Some players are not guaranteed to play, which makes it difficult.
“Premier League loans come here to get game time. If you cannot guarantee that, a loan does not make sense for some players. I would prefer a permanent signing because they are committed through difficult phases. The loan market is an option, and we will not fall asleep.”
Leeds’ approach is evident with the £10 million signing of Ramazani on a permanent deal, while Sheffield United brought in Rak-Sakyi on loan, potentially paying up to £4 million in loan fees, with Crystal Palace retaining a recall option.
Chris Wilder, Sheffield United’s manager, has dismissed claims that Rak-Sakyi’s loan deal includes guarantees for a certain amount of playing time. Speaking to The Star, Wilder stated:
“Jes has come here to play football, but there are no guarantees. I know another club put out there to cover themselves that we signed a guarantee that Jes played a certain amount of games. Absolute fabrication. There’s another word I’d like to use, but I’m not sure I’ll be allowed to.”
Despite Wilder’s denial, it’s likely that Palace wouldn’t have loaned Rak-Sakyi without some form of assurance that he would receive substantial playing time. Even if not officially documented, this expectation seems to be an inherent part of the arrangement.
Meanwhile, Leeds have moved on to another target, secured the deal, and signed him to a four-year contract.
