Managing Leeds as £25million Leo Scienza move made and prolific striker signed

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Leeds are bracing themselves for a hectic summer transfer window , with significant activity expected both in and out of Elland Road. Daniel Farke steered the club to Premier League survival with time to spare, yet a failure to move swiftly in the off-season risks plunging the club into further chaos next term.

The Whites are working with a tight budget this summer and have several positions crying out for reinforcement. That said, there are a handful of assets at Elland Road that could be offloaded to help unlock funds for fresh investment.

There is still just over a fortnight before the summer transfer window officially swings open, but that needn't stop Leeds from laying the foundations right now. Mirror Football has identified a number of potential moves that could be made in the months ahead to help ensure Farke's next campaign is a smoother ride.

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Given the previously switch to a three-man defence, there's growing urgency to see Leeds target creative midfielders who can operate elsewhere. The side has leaned heavily on their wingers previously but there's a growing belief the likes of Daniel James and Willy Gnonto could soon be considered surplus to requirements.

Instead, the club would be wise to pursue a playmaking midfielder who can also slot into those wider positions when required. In that respect, Southampton's Leo Scienza could represent shrewd business for the right sum.

Scienza, 27, enjoyed a spectacular debut campaign in English football, registering seven goals and 10 assists across 37 Championship outings. Yet there's a feeling Southampton may be compelled to accept certain players will seek pastures new following the Spygate scandal .

It's understood the Brazilian attacker arrived at Southampton for approximately £8million after leaving Heidenheim last summer. There's uncertainty surrounding whether his Southampton deal does or doesn't contain a release clause, although reports suggest a figure in the region of £25m might be sufficient to secure his signature either way.

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Another striker wouldn't hurt at Elland Road, either, and Burnley's Zian Flemming is one who may be too talented for the Championship. Flemming's maiden Premier League season saw him register 11 goals in 29 appearances, almost a third of Burnley's overall haul (38).

Flemming joined the Clarets last summer for £7m after spending the previous campaign on loan at Turf Moor. He would be expected to command at least double that figure if sold today, yet would still fall comfortably within Leeds' budget.

Some of the most pressing concerns at Leeds currently lie at the back. While Farke's side netted 49 goals, better than half the Premier League, their tally of 56 goals conceded represented the fifth-worst record in the Premier League.

The most pressing requirement in that department is a new centre-back capable of commanding a place in the first XI. Leeds currently have just three central defenders of that calibre in Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk, and the switch to a back three has only amplified the need for more quality depth, particularly with Sebastiaan Bornauw being linked with a departure.

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The speculation surrounding Union Berlin's Danilho Doekhi is well justified at this point, with the 27-year-old poised to become a free agent. However, reported interest from Saudi Arabia has emerged, and there is a concern that Leeds could lose ground to rival clubs the longer he weighs up his options.

Doekhi is a former Netherlands under-21 international who came through the youth systems at Ajax and Vitesse. Moreover, he demonstrated his eye for goal this season as the 6'3" defender found the net seven times across all competitions.

On the subject of free agents, Leeds would do well to monitor Rico Henry's circumstances at Brentford, where he could yet trigger a 12-month extension. A proven Premier League performer, Henry could offer solid competition at left-back but might be beyond Leeds' reach given reported links with clubs such as Everton and Bayer Leverkusen.

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Another target with prior connections to Leeds, the club could do far worse than bringing in Shakhtar Donetsk's Dmytro Riznyk to man the goal. What's more, it's believed he would cost less than half the fee paid for Lucas Perri last year.

Perri, 28, became the latest goalkeeper through Leeds' revolving door of shot-stoppers almost as quickly as he arrived, following a reported £15.6m switch from Lyon. Instead, Farke opted to place his trust in Karl Darlow , who is set to depart on a free transfer alongside Illan Meslier.

It is therefore crucial that Leeds bring in fresh competition in goal. Three-cap Ukraine international Riznyk ticks plenty of boxes, with his shot-stopping ability being his most attractive quality.