Leeds United boss Daniel Farke moved to sign one of his – and the club's – former players during the summer transfer window, as Sam Byram made his return to Elland Road after coming through the academy system as a youngster.

The ex-Norwich City defender arrived on a free transfer and has enjoyed a strong start to his second stint in west Yorkshire under the German head coach.

However, things could have been different if Jesse Marsch had not fumbled an exceptional young talent in Byram's position ahead of the 2022/23 campaign – Leif Davis.

How much did Leeds sell Leif Davis for?

Leeds reportedly sold the academy graduate to Ipswich Town for a fee just in excess of £1m and that figure is starting to look like a huge bargain for the Tractor Boys.

Marsch cashed in on the 23-year-old left-back and that has turned out to be a nightmare of a decision by the former Whites boss as he is now better than Byram and would have been an excellent option for Farke to call upon at the back.

If the former RB Leipzig tactician had a bit more patience with the young defender then the club could have profited from his development on the pitch, instead of moving him on so quickly.

How many chances has Leif Davis created this season?

The Ipswich star, who assisted a staggering 14 goals from full-back in League One last term, has created an eye-catching 23 chances in seven Championship matches this season.

Davis has produced 3.3 key passes per game and produced two 'big chances' for his teammates in the second tier since his side's promotion from the third division.

The 6-foot ace, who has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.47, has also showcased his ability to consistently disrupt opposition attacks with his defensive quality.

As per Sofascore, the English dynamo has made 3.7 tackles and interceptions combined per game and came out on top in 59% of his duels. This shows that he can hold his own in physical contests and can win possession back for his team multiple times per match.

How many chances has Sam Byram created this season?

Byram, meanwhile, has created four chances for his teammates across seven appearances in the Championship this season for Leeds.

The ex-West Ham United defender has produced 0.6 key passes per game for the Whites, whilst mainly being deployed as a left-back, and this shows that Davis could offer considerably more than him when it comes to making things happen at the top end of the pitch.

Leif Davis' Championship statistics this season:

As per Sofascore, the 30-year-old stopper has also made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per match and won 53% of his individual battles in total.

This suggests that the experienced full-back, who has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.25 this term, has offered less than Davis from a defensive perspective, both in terms of the volume and efficiency of his actions at the back.

Therefore, Marsch had a nightmare with his sale of the English "animal" – as he was once dubbed by former boss Scott Parker – as their respective statistics this season suggest that the 23-year-old talent is a better option than Byram at left-back.