Leeds United fans would have been pleased to see the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville line up against Harrogate Town in their side's first pre-season clash in front of supporters, with the terrifying attacking duo given all of the second half to strut their stuff.
Neither would get on the scoresheet, but the in-demand pair would still run rings around the bamboozled League Two outfit's defence on the night, with Daniel Farke's men winning 3-0 at the end of the valuable run-out.
Farke and Co could be facing a losing battle to keep both Leeds stars situated at Elland Road beyond this action-packed transfer window, however, with the Whites now looking at a tricky winger as a possible summer signing.
Leeds interested in exciting Crystal Palace youngster
According to a report from the Daily Mail, the Championship promotion candidates are eyeing up a swoop for highly-rated Crystal Palace youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, who could soften the blow of either Gnonto or Summerville exiting shortly.
The Eagles have already brushed aside Southampton's advances for Rak-Sakyi reportedly, as Russell Martin's men were keen to sign the 21-year-old permanently, with a loan move to the second tier now potentially opening up instead.
Sheffield United and Sunderland are named as the other interested parties alongside Leeds, with Rak-Sakyi perhaps taken by the allure of Elland Road out of this trio of suitors, owing to the fact Summerville and Gnonto have excelled bombing down the wings when given the license to just maraud forward.
Rak-Sakyi would operate very much in a similar fashion if a move got over the line, and he could well end up being the club's very next Summerville if everything works out smoothly.
What Rak-Sakyi could offer Leeds
Watching the clip above of Rak-Sakyi's skills in action on loan at Charlton Athletic during the 2022/23 season, the 21-year-old should shine in the Championship having previously set the division below alight.
The agile 5 foot 10 attacker would help himself to 15 goals and nine assists playing for the Addicks further down the EFL from 49 overall clashes, with League One defences regularly scared stiff by Rak-Sakyi's darts up the pitch and his eventual deadly end product.
Games played
43
Goals scored
15
Assists
8
Shots*
2.1
Dribbles*
1.8
Key passes*
1.3
Big chances missed
21
Big chances created
5
It would be unreasonable to expect the promising 21-year-old to immediately fill the void left by Leeds' mercurial Dutchman if he was to leave however, but his 23 goal contributions in League One that season should stand him in good stead to take to the demands of the Championship well.
Summerville did manage to amass 29 goal contributions himself for Farke's men in league action, but Rak-Sakyi would be eyeing up Gnonto's spot more so than the ex-Feyenoord youngster's left flank, and could even take it away from him if the Italian was to stay put this summer.
Rak-Sakyi has even impressed for Palace in the Premier League, the level that Gnonto is crying out for, with a 64-minute cameo last season for the Eagles number 49 against Nottingham Forest seeing him make three successful dribbles and have two shots blocked.
It's that dazzling dribbling ability – completing 1.8 per game in the third tier last term – that sees him compare so nicely to Summerville. For context, he succeeded with 2.3 dribbles per match in 2023/24.
It could well be time, therefore, for the "remarkable" attacker – as he has been described in the past by ex-Palace boss Roy Hodgson – to take the Championship by storm out on loan, before coming back to Selhurst Park eager to impress more.
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