Daniel Farke said working with Leeds United transfer target is a ‘Perfect business’: View

Leeds United are said to have transfer interest in Oliver Skipp, a midfielder Daniel Farke has previously had the pleasure of working with

Daniel Farke gushed with praise when asked about his opportunity to work with Leeds United transfer target Oliver Skipp back in 2021.

Football works in mysterious ways and a number of years later, Elland Road could be the venue for a heartfelt reunion in English football. Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Skipp is suggested to leave his boyhood club this summer with Leeds tracking the 23-year-old.

No doubt Farke will be pulling the strings of this deal, as he was the one so keen to bring what was then a 19-year-old prospect to former club Norwich City ahead of a fight for Championship promotion.

“He was one of my biggest wishes to bring in last summer, so compliments to Stuart Webber for making it happen,” the German told Pink Un when asked to reflect on the midfielder’s impact two-thirds of the way through that 2020/21 campaign. “I can only praise Olly and Tottenham. This was perfect business.

“The best piece of business is always a permanent move, when you are fully convinced and you commit the club’s future to a player, and they do likewise. A loan is tricky. But if you have a chance to bring in someone who can be a major boost to the squad then perhaps a loan is the only way that happens.”

Skipp had appeared in all 33 second-tier matches up to this point of the 2020/21 season, playing the full 90 minutes in 27 of them. Jose Mourinho, who was then in charge at Spurs, was admittedly keen to bring Skipp back to his parent club midway through the campaign, though conceded East Anglia was a better place for development at the time.

He ended the season with 45 appearances, missing only the final round once Norwich had already confirmed their status as Champions, proving just how crucial the then-teenager’s efforts were to help the Canaries back into the big time.

Farke summarised: “When you bring young players from the best clubs in the world there is always a risk. We saw the potential, we looked into his character a lot and we knew he would be fully convinced to give everything, not thinking I don’t need to work to prove I am the best in my position.

“Oliver is a perfect lad. So humble. He is a brilliant loan signing. Unbelievable consistency, with no mistakes, never injured, never ill.”

At the time of talking, Skipp had also just found his first goal in senior football.

“I actually said before Birmingham there was one or two areas he can still improve, like in terms of the attacking side, and then in the very next game he scores at Birmingham,” his manager added.

“That is a good sign he listens to what I demand. I think he was too surprised to celebrate.

“The lads make some jokes in training when he tries to shoot and when he scores they celebrate like they have won the World Cup. Although I don’t remember him scoring in training too often.”