Leeds United transfer news: Nigel Martyn believes the club deserve Premier League but need new faces this summer
Former Leeds United goalkeeper Nigel Martyn believes that the club deserve Premier League football, but need new faces in this summer.
The Whites narrowly missed out on promotion last season after defeat in the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-finals against Derby.
Despite that, head coach Marcelo Bielsa opted to stay at the club as he looks to guide them back to the top-flight for the first-time since their relegation in 2004.
With the summer transfer window now open, Martyn says that the club need to target new recruits if they are to go one better in their centenary year.
"Having been in the playoffs, you’ve got to be aiming for that again really," he said.
"I know he likes to have a smaller squad, but I would have like to have seen two or three faces in the January window just to freshen things up a little bit, to strengthen the squad and give some players a rest.
"I know there’s no vast amounts of money to spend and there’s no point buying somebody who isn’t going to improve your squad, but given the position they were in in January, that was the time to have gone and got somebody, if they could.
"I’d like to see some fresh faces in the summer – probably another striker. I know he plays a good style of football, keeping the ball, and to be able to do that, you probably need five in midfield.
"At that standard, that enables you to keep the ball, but Bamford, Roofe or whoever is upfront, sometimes gets a little bit isolated."
Martyn was a regular part of the Leeds side during their time in the Premier League and was voted in Leeds' greatest ever team in 2006.
Leeds find themselves as the 5/1 favourites to win the league this season, with promotion available at just 7/4.
Having experienced the club first-hand, the former goalkeeper states that the Whites should be playing against England's elite on a regular basis.
"Leeds is a big club and with the fanbase it’s got, it deserves to be in the Premier League, but you’ve got to earn that right," he continued.
"They had a good campaign – with the squad they had at the start of the season, they batted above their average.
"The manager is a breath of fresh air. He brings humility to the players and has got them playing a good standard of football."
One of the big stories to come out last season was 'spygate', where Derby found a member of the Leeds staff watching their training before the two sides played against each other in January.
Bielsa then admitted to observing every team in the Championship in an incredible press conference. Despite no specific rule on the subject, Leeds accepted a £200,000 fine.
The issue caused a clear divide of opinion, and Martyn admits that he saw the funny side of the situation.
"He [Bielsa] brings one or two eccentric traits and things that we’re not used to over here," the former England goalkeeper stated. "The whole ‘spygate’ thing, personally I think it’s quite funny and it’s somebody doing their homework further than we’re used to.
"Ethically, you might say it’s not the done thing but having played European games, warming up in the stadium the day before, you know full well that there’s people watching that from the opposition, so it does happen all the time.
"It will make it spicier when the two clubs [Derby and Leeds] meet. There was a bit of micky-taking one way and then the other way, and then back again. I’m sure that will be put on live as well.
"I can see the managers probably having a private meeting or phone call discussing it and probably having a laugh behind closed doors."
Nigel Martyn was speaking to VoucherCodes.co.uk as part of their Greatest Savers campaign.
Odds correct at 1345 BST (25/06/19)