“Pointless” – Clear ipswich towm message sent over Sammie Szmodics summer transfer pursuit..

Szmodics was understood to have not been considered a primary target by Leeds United’s hierarchy, with concerns over him being too similar to Joel Piroe.

That was despite reports throughout the summer linking the Irish international with a move to Elland Road, with initial contact made in July, as per Alan Nixon, before completing a deal that could eventually rise to £11 million with the Tractor Boys in mid-August.

So, with Szmodics now plying his trade in the Premier League, is there any feeling of regret in the Leeds United camp over their decision not to pursue a deal for him?

Leeds United were right to hold off splashing the cash on Sammie Szmodics

We asked our Leeds United fan pundit, Kris Smith, based off the opening two months of the season, did Leeds miss a trick by not pushing the boat out to land Szmodics, or were they right to step away from any potential deal?

Smith told Football League World: “I personally think that given the struggles we’re having at the moment under Daniel Farke to find a good, consistent role for Joel Piroe in our starting 11, I still don’t think that Sammie Szmodics would’ve made any sense for us given what we’re looking at with Piroe right now.

“With Szmodics, without a doubt he is a Premier League-level finisher, and that was shown last season when he won the Golden Boot with Blackburn.

“But Leeds need a lot more from their forwards at the moment, in games when we’re dominating the ball, than what he gives – that’s just a good ability to bury chances.

“We need someone who can press and link-up play as well as the other options that we have in our attack. For me, whenever I watch Szmodics, I don’t see that ever from him.

“It would make him pretty much just a waste of money for a team like Leeds. He’s not for Ipswich – he’s a good signing for Ipswich, but we’re a different team and we play in a different way to them.

“When you have Piroe in a similar predicament in terms of what else he contributes other than goals, it makes it sort of redundant looking at Szmodics.

Whilst concerns that the arrival of Szmodics could lead to Leeds having too many cooks in the attacking midfield kitchen were fair, there has been some recent evidence that may suggest Piroe and Szmodics could’ve worked in harmony together.

In Leeds’ last game before the international break away at Sunderland, Piroe operated as a centre-forward, and it was through his clever movement and deadly finish that brought the Whites level after the Black Cats had taken an early lead.

Whether the Dutchman has the ability and traits needed to lead the line has been one of the hottest topics of debate in Leeds United circles for some time, and on that showing, Piroe certainly looks like he can.

If that is the case, having him operate as a centre-forward and dropping Szmodics in-behind him in the number 10 role, in which he predominantly played in and scored his goals in for Blackburn last season, could’ve been a deadly combination for Leeds this season.

With Ipswich forking out just £9m to acquire his services too, Szmodics might’ve been one of the bargains of the season, and could’ve made a huge impact in Leeds’ pursuit of Premier League football.

It would’ve also served to take the pressure off young Mateo Joseph to lead the line – a role he has performed well so far this season, despite notching just one goal in his opening nine games of the season.

So, whilst it’s true that Piroe and Szmodics probably couldn’t have co-existed in attacking midfield together, had Leeds approached the deal from the angle of Piroe being a centre-forward, perceptions may well have been different over the possible signing of the former Championship star.