There was a joke this week around the WhatsApp groups Leeds -Nee -sayers.
Goes Govertisoned Patrick Bamford, the injury-sensitive striker who has struggled for goals in recent years and his best days are in the past. In Comes Dominic Calvert-Lewin, the injury-sensitive striker who has struggled for goals in recent years and … you get the core.
It can be very true, but many don't believe it. Not least Leeds Baas Daniel Farke, the Elland Road hierarchy and, perhaps even more importantly, Calvert-Lewin himself. At the age of 28, after nine years of Everton, the striker left Everton – and is ready to write a new chapter.
Another ironic thing is that this new chapter could start well against its previous employers, with new club Leeds that hosts Everton under the Elland Road Lights on Monday evening.
The story so far has been an up and down journey. After he moved to Merseyside from Sheffield United, with whom he became a member of eight years old, he was formed in one of the most formidable attackers in the country before injuries and the subsequent poor form eventually saw his reputation diving.
Leeds hopes that they will sign the Calvert-Lewin that struck goals in two seasons between 2019-2021, 13 and 19 in those campaigns, and have attracted opposition fans and fans with his style and parties.
Everton will hope, in terms of no regrets of having their long-term no. 9, that Leeds signs the man who has signed Rafael Benitez since his Halcyon days under Carlo Ancelotti and, lastly,.
At that time, he delivered a bad 17 goals for four years and played only 60 percent of the available games due to a succession of injuries. In all those years he has dramatically left the statistics of the expected goals (XG).
But forget all of that. About the Pennines they believe that this free transfer is a bargain that is worth taking – and one that Farke has described as a 'no brainer'.
They were willing to take the risk because of his Premier League know-how and sources close to the player suggest that he is at his strongest level in some years after a carefully constructed personal fitness plan this summer.
Daily Mail Sport understands that Calvert-Lewin recently broke up with his agent and negotiated his next step alone. He had offers from the Premier League and abroad, including Champions League clubs, but Leeds stood out.
This is the summer he wanted to control his own life. After he had considered all the options on the table, he felt that he wanted to be a 'part of something special weather', as a source says. Leeds gave that feeling.
There is a nice story about how he has often seen them play with his wife and children because one of his good friends is a big fan of Leeds. Maybe that played a role and things are certainly a circle.
“It was not a Rocket Science, he is a good and experienced player with a free transfer,” a source close to the situation tells us. Yes, he had a few injuries in the past seasons, but the medical went well and Leeds trusts that they can get the most out of him.
That first conversation with Farke and Co was enough to convince Calvert-Lewin to move over the pennines. He loved the vision of how Farke wanted him to play and felt that the German understood what he was capable of. Moreover, the Leeds -Baas had done his research.
The big irony is that his debut against Everton could be if the parties meet in Elland Road on Monday. Although it is easy to say that David Moyes dropped Calvert-Lewin, the feeling was pretty mutual and it felt like time to continue.
“He is really a good age, proven at Premier League level with more than 200 games and 60 goals and in 11 performances for the English team scored four goals,” Farke said. 'We don't have to talk about his qualities. He has all the skills you want.
'It is an opportunity for him to breathe new life into his career and to reach former heights when he was excellent at Premier League level. The key for him is not to be motivated. We will build his fitness step by step, so that he can find confidence in his body and rhythm.
'If we do that, he has shown what he can do. He can be excellent for us. '
Since his contract ended, he has trained intensively with private coaches and trained during his vacation and is the word around Thorp Arch about how he already looks like in a solid form. Nevertheless, Leeds will not bring him back and he will probably start the night on the couch.
But the most important thing is that the boy who once looked as if he could now lead the border for England, trust and believe in his ability and his body again.
He said: “I'm really excited. I feel again a child who just starts new somewhere and I just can't wait to play and represent the football club. For me it is a huge football club with a huge fan base.
'It is something that I really wanted to be part of. I spoke to the manager for this and we had a very good conversation. He gave me a feeling of a lot of understanding and it made me very excited to work with him. '