When it comes to signing footballers, it is far from an exact science. There are many reasons why a move may not work out. Players may not be suited to a teams style of play, injuries, personal issues etc. We often hear that the weather and food in the U.K is often an issue. The truth is you can never fully predict how a player will settle and progress at any club. According to the transfer price index created by the Tomkins Times, only 40% of signings made by any club will ever work out. If you apply this already underwhelming percentage to Victor Orta’s catalogue of incomings, the numbers come up a little short. Orta spent 6 years as Leeds United director of football, joining in May 2017 and signed sixty odd players in that time. It is fair to say his record in that time was substandard, with a handfull of exceptions of note.
Orta liked his type, and few others opitomised that type better than Junior Firpo, signed in the summer of 2021. Firpo was a player who had shown great potential in his earlier days in La Liga with Real Betis, however his form had dipped considerably at Barcelona and he was injury prone, hence the relatively small fee Leeds were asked to pay. Firpo was the sort of player Orta liked to bring in, the broken toy. The idea being that he hopefully recaptures his form, reaches his potential to a certain degree and increases his own transfer value with the option for Leeds to cash in. Win win right? On paper yes, this reads like a sound strategy. But as we know, football creates many variables for footballers, and if you couple this with the archetypal make up of an Orta signing, the chances of succeeding in the transfer market is seriously hindered. That being said, Orta did bring some quality to the club, Jack Harrison, Raphinnha and Wifred Gnonto all signed under his direction, but on the whole, his signings left a lot to be desired and ultimately were not good enough. Take a look at 5 of his worst below:
1: Jean Kevin Augustin
Signed on loan in the January transfer window of 2020, JKA stands out as the very worst of all signings made under Orta. Due to injuries, Augustin only palyed the grand total of 48 minutes for Leeds, leaving the club after the expiry of his deal. But after a protracted legal battle culminating in April 2023, Leeds found themselves on the hook for £24.5 million as it was deemed the club were in breach of contractual obligations. If you do the math (I’m afraid to), you will find a stagerring minutes played to cost ratio.
2: Yosuke Ideguchi
Signed in January 2019 on 4 year deal, Ideguchi was immediately loaned out to the Aspire academy and never played a senior game for the club. A Japan international, who showed up at Celtic some years later but who’s time at Leeds has likely been forgotten due to it having never started.
3: Ouasim Bouy:
Signed in August 2017, and much like Ideguchi given a 4 year contract, however again a player who failed to play one senior game for the club. Officially left the club in 2021 and has palyed very little elsewhere. A truly forgettable capture.
4: Mateusz Bogusz
Signed in January 2019, Polish underage international Bogusz endured a torrid spell at the club. Having played just a small handfull of cup and league games for the whites, Bogusz was astonishingly offered a new 3 year contract with the eclub in August 2020. Following a couple of loan spells in Spain, he was only officially released by the club in 2023. Not one to be remembered.
5: Lawrens De Bock
Signed in January 2018, De Bock went on to make just 7 appearances for the club. Following a poor showing at Derby County in 17/18, he never recovered and was sent out on loan four times before being released in 2022. Gone and forgotten.
Honourable mentions: Pawel Cibicki, Kiko Casilla, Caleb Ekuban and Weston McKennie.
