Leeds United are said to be interested in Genk technical director Dimitri De Condé as the man to replace Victor Orta at Elland Road.
Leeds are set for a great deal of changes in the club as we head towards the summer, and one of the main things that needs resolving is the director of football position.
Victor Orta parted ways with the club back in early May, following the defeat to Bournemouth where the pressure of the relegation battle had grown so much that the Spaniard simply had to go.
A move to replace him has not yet materialised at Elland Road, but reports from Belgian outlet Nieuwsblad claim that the club are looking at Genk’s technical director Dimitri De Condé.
Here, we look at two reasons why Leeds appointing De Condé would be a very smart move going forward…
His track record
It doesn’t take a great deal of research to see why Leeds might want someone of De Condé’s pedigree in the job.
Having joined Genk as the director in 2015, a host of talented young players have been signed during his tenure: Leon Bailey, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Sander Berge (no.25 above), Joakim Maehle (no.31), Ianis Hagi, while Gift Orban joined this January.
All of these players have played at a very high level already in their careers, and have their move to Genk to thank for how they are getting on now.
None of these players came to Genk with prior strong standing in the game, either, showing a real eye for young talent.
Would Brendan Rodgers be a good appointment?
Yes
No
Selling for maximum profit
We cannot kid ourselves here and think that Leeds are one of the most powerful sides in the country, because we weren’t even when we finished 9th in the Premier League in 2021.
That means that any players who do look to be outgrowing the club will eventually be sold to a top club across Europe.
Leeds’ job is to ensure that these players are being sold at the right time, with a replacement in place, and for the best possible fee.
The report linking Leeds with De Condé also points out that he has raised around €300million in sales at Genk, a truly staggering record for a relatively small club compared to the numbers we’re talking about.