Marcelo Bielsa confirms Leeds United may 'take advantage' of the January transfer window - Leeds Live 30/12/01

Leeds United have been struck down by simultaneous injuries this season leading supporters to question whether the club will engage in any January transfer business

Leeds United have often arrived at Elland Road and various away grounds this season with a skeleton crew prepared to do battle in the Premier League.

This has largely been due to the several, unfortunate and simultaneous injuries suffered by Leeds' key senior players.

Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton and Charlie Cresswell all face lengthy spells on the sidelines, as confirmed by Marcelo Bielsa in this morning's press conference.

Pascal Struijk and Rodrigo Moreno remain in the treatment room, recuperating from separate foot injuries, although it is not expected they will be absent until March like Phillips or Cooper.

Fortunately, Bielsa was able to reveal Diego Llorente had overcome a bout of COVID-19, whilst Daniel James and Junior Firpo would be available for selection once more after injury and suspension, respectively.

However, this does little to appease the questions from supporters with regards to activity in the January transfer window.

Leeds named fifteen-year-old Archie Gray on the substitutes' bench for the visit of Arsenal in mid-December, owing to the severity of the club's injury troubles.

Bielsa has asserted in recent weeks that he is not opposed to doing business in the winter window, as has previously been reported, but that he does recognise the challenges that come with bolstering a squad mid-season.

It is commonly-accepted there is little value-for-money in the January transfer period, but with Leeds' present situation, the club may need to recruit over the coming weeks.

While there is no certainty of this, Bielsa did not rule out the possibility of incomings - or outgoings, interestingly enough - over the next month.

"We will see where we are during January, if an alternative comes up which we may take advantage of," he answered, in response to a question about what the club's stance on imminent transfer business is.

Daniel James' acquisition in the summer came very much out of the blue, as Leeds sealed a deadline day move for the long-term Bielsa target.

The Argentine's messaging throughout the summer was consistent with his latest comments: if there is a viable opportunity to do business for a player who will improve the first-team, Leeds may well pursue it, as they did with James.

In terms of outgoings, it remains unlikely that any first-team players will depart in January, but Bielsa told LeedsLive there was the possibility of some U23s leaving on loan.

"It's a subject where it's a possibility," the 66-year-old said. "Players that are immediately below the group of the first-team, they only have one reason to stay at the club - that they have real possibilities to dispute a place in the team, that they have the desire to fight for their space and show that they deserve it.

"With those parameters, we will make the decision that's best for the players and for the club," he finished.

Bielsa has previously insisted he will not stand in the way of a young player whose development will benefit from senior football.