Marcelo Bielsa was keen on signing Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Ben White on a permanent deal over the summer, but saw the Seagulls knock back no less than three offers from the Whites for the player.

 

However, Bielsa was successful in snapping up Koch from German club Freiburg for £13m as a White alternative and according to Leeds legend Dorigo, the new boy is an absolute bargain.

 

 

Leeds ended up spending just £13m on Koch, but Dorigo insists that a cheaper transfer fee does not suggest a lesser quality player.

 

Dorigo, who hailed his former club’s swoop of Koch as ‘fantastic business’, is of the view that Leeds lacked a definitive aerial threat in the past seasons and backed new boy to take control of aerial duels in both boxes in the upcoming campaign.

 

 

“I think aerially, when Pontus [Jansson] left, we just lost something in both boxes”, Dorigo said on LUTV.

 

“Ben White came in and gave us so much more, I agree, but still aerially I think we could do with some improvement and Robin Koch is that player.

 

 

“I think he wins those duels in corner kicks, defending and attacking.

 

“I would like to see him really take control because that is an area, I think we need to get better.

 

“It is great to see and for £13m, you look at the value we got from Freiburg, obviously had one year left on his contract, but Ben White did fantastic for us and I would have loved to see Ben White back

 

“You could see how disappointed he was in his subsequent interviews.

 

“But when you are considering £25m, £30m for Ben White, £13m Robin Koch, you know what, we have done fantastic business.”

 

Koch has so far registered three senior caps for the Germany national side and will now hope to earn his spot under Bielsa in the Leeds backline as he gears up for his first taste of English football.