Leeds United decided to bring in German head coach Daniel Farke last summer as they looked to secure an instant return to the Premier League.
The Whites then backed the former Norwich City boss, who won two Championship titles during his time with the Canaries, in the transfer market.
Ilia Gruev, Joel Piroe, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow, Djed Spence, Jaidon Anthony, Sam Byram, and Glen Kamara were all brought in, either on loan or permanently.
The Leeds boss also allowed a host of senior players to move on following the club's relegation from the Premier League, as the likes of Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Jack Harrison, and Robin Koch, among many others, left either on loan or permanently.
One departure that, perhaps, went under the radar amidst so many senior exits was Cody Drameh's move to Birmingham on loan, with an option for them to make it permanent.
He is out of contract in the summer but Leeds would be due compensation from his next club and Tony Mowbray's side have the first option to snap him up for an agreed fee.
Cody Drameh's 2022/23 season in numbers
The decision to part ways with the 22-year-old dynamo appears to have been an early blunder from Farke as the English ace has been in fantastic form in the Championship over the past 18 months and is a better option than recent loan signing Connor Roberts.
Drameh, who played once in the Premier League last season, joined Luton Town on loan for the second half of the 2022/23 campaign and caught the eye with his superb performances.
The former Fulham youngster quickly established himself as a regular starter for Rob Edwards and played a pivotal role in their promotion to the top-flight.
He started 16 league matches for the Hatters and made a big impact with his contributions both in and out of possession from a right-back position.
Appearances
16
Key passes per game
1.6
Tackles per game
3.1
Interceptions per game
1.1
Duel success rate
55%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Leeds loanee chipped in at the top end of the pitch by creating chances for his teammates and was difficult for opposition players to get past with 4.2 tackles and interceptions combined per match.
No Luton defender made more tackles per outing and only Tom Lockyer (1.6) made more interceptions per game for Edwards' side than Drameh in the second tier last season.
His defensive attributes were on full display in the play-off final at Wembely as he won 100% (5/5) of his duels and made two clearances as the match finished 1-1 after extra-time before Luton won on penalties.
Overall, the young enforcer proved his quality in the Championship with consistently impressive performances at right-back for the Hatters, which helped them to win promotion to the Premier League.
Cody Drameh's form with Birmingham
His displays for Luton were seemingly not enough to convince Farke that he was ready to play week-in-week-out for Leeds, and the German boss sent him on loan to Birmingham.
Meanwhile, Spence was brought in on loan from Tottenham Hotspur and was sent back to the Premier League side in January, as the Whites exercised their option to terminate the deal.
This allowed the club to swoop in to sign Roberts on loan from Burnley until the end of the season, which appears to be a solid signing on paper.
However, it could be looked at as a blunder by Leeds as they already fumbled a better option in the form of Drameh, who has been in fine form for Birmingham.
Appearances
22
Assists
Three
Key passes per game
0.9
Tackles + interceptions per match
4.0
Duel success rate
64%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the 5 foot 9 star has offered quality at both ends of the pitch in the Championship once again with creativity on the ball and solid defensive work out of possession.
Drameh, who was described as a "Duracell Bunny" by ex-boss Steve Morison, has also provided an outlet in transition with 1.1 dribbles completed per match, with a success rate of 64%.
These statistics show that the Birmingham ace has been an excellent performer in all three thirds this season, as well as last term for Luton.
Why Drameh is a better option than Roberts
His outstanding form for the Blues and the Hatters also suggests that he is a better option than deadline day Leeds signing Roberts, who won promotion to the Premier League with Burnley last term.
Both players were key performers for teams who made their way up to the top-flight but Drameh produced more quality as an attacking threat and as a defender.
Appearances
16
43
Key passes per game
1.6
1.0
Tackles per game
3.1
1.1
Interceptions per game
1.1
0.6
Dribbles completed per game
1.1
0.1
Duel success rate
55%
56%
As you can see in the table above, the Luton loanee outperformed the Wales international in a host of key statistics in and out of possession last term.
He made 2.5 more tackles and interceptions combined per game, whilst winning a similar percentage of his duels, and created 0.6 more chances per match for his teammates in the second tier.
Impressively the talented battler has maintained similar averages, particularly defensively, during his loan spell with Birmingham in the Championship this season, which shows that he can be a consistent performer at that level.
Overall, these statistics suggest that Farke had a blunder by allowing the right-back to join the Blues on loan when he needed a right-back in his squad, as the deal for Spence did not work out and Drameh has already outperformed Roberts in the same division.
At the age of 22, the former Cardiff loanee is also six years younger than the experienced Burnley defender and, therefore, has more room to grow and develop over the years to come.
This means that Drameh could have been a long-term option for Leeds as a player who could have improved with more game time in Yorkshire. Instead, they may end up watching on as he goes on to enjoy a great career, whether that ends up being in the Championship, the Premier League, or elsewhere.