In a transfer market full of mega fees and record-breaking deals, midfielder Anton Stach is evidence that bargains are still there to be had in the modern day.

The Leeds United hierarchy plucked the German midfielder from Hoffenheim last summer, subsequently signing a player who has exceeded all expectations at Elland Road.

He became a vital member of Daniel Farke’s side after his decision to switch to a 3-4-2-1 system and has since formed an unbreakable partnership with captain Ethan Ampadu.

The £18m fee paid for his services has undoubtedly been worth every penny, with very few players able to emulate his impact at the heart of the side since his arrival.

Why Stach was Leeds' best signing in 2025/26

In a bid to secure Premier League safety, Leeds took a measured approach last summer and only ended up spending a reported £90m on new additions to help beat the drop.

Stach was one of the most expensive additions that window, but his quality throughout last season undoubtedly prevented the club from suffering an immediate return to the Championship.

He was joined by the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Justin and Gabriel Gudmundsson last summer, with all three of the aforementioned talents also playing key roles.

The striker ended the year as the Whites’ top scorer with 14 goals, but often endured spells where he struggled to provide the goods - as seen by his seven-game drought between February and April.

Gudmundsson assumed the role of being the club’s first choice left-back option, subsequently impressing in spells, but his fitness issues have led to concerns over his long-term suitability.

The same can’t be said for the German midfielder who only missed eight games - the majority of which were due to an innocuous ankle issue suffered against West Ham United in the FA Cup.

His talent at both ends - most notably in attacking areas with his set pieces - has made the 27-year-old a vital component in Farke’s system in the club’s hunt for a top half finish this term.

How Leeds have secured the next Stach this summer

In an attempt to build on last season’s 14th place finish, Leeds put their focus on investing in quality over quantity to hand Farke the tools to further push the club up the table.

Over £90m was spent during the recent summer window, with the likes of James Trafford and Tarik Muharemovic costing the most - arriving for a combined £79m alone.

Both have already started both of the club’s two league games this term, subsequently keeping a clean sheet during the opening day triumph over Nottingham Forest.

However, despite not signing a new central midfielder this window, the Whites appear to have landed their next version of Stach with a move for Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Jean-Matteo Bahoya.

The French U21 arrived on deadline day on loan with an obligation to buy for £25m next summer after previously being linked with the likes of Hull City and Manchester United.

Whilst operating in a different position to the German star, he could emulate his success at Elland Road after making a bargain move from a Bundesliga outfit.

The youngster’s stats from last season demonstrate the attacking quality he possesses, and highlight how he could emulate the former Hoffenheim man in being a fan-favourite in Yorkshire.

Within his 15 starts in Germany’s top-flight last campaign, Bahoya managed to register seven combined goals and assists - nearly averaging a goal contribution in every other game he started.

Such numbers will hand Farke the added attacking quality he’s been hunting for - something which Stach has provided during his 12-month period in Yorkshire.

His quality was further evident in his impressive dribbles completed tally, with the attacker registering 2.8 successful take-ons per 90 - ranking him in the top 6% of all forwards in Europe.

Bahoya’s ability to create opportunities for his teammates was also evident in his chance creation tally, which saw him create 2.1 chances per 90 - ranking him above 88% of attackers in Germany’s top-division.

Stach produced similar numbers during his own debut campaign at Elland Road last term, which could see the pair linking up together on a consistent basis throughout 2026/27.

Even without the ball, the 21-year-old caught the eye in the Bundesliga last season - subsequently making 2.1 tackles per 90 and also starring at both ends, just like Stach.

The move for Bahoya has injected added excitement into the Leeds fanbase in recent days, and who can blame them given the impressive nature of the deadline day addition.

He and Stach could play a vital role alongside one another this campaign, as the fanbase could be about to endure a season to remember throughout 2026/27.