Leeds United transfer plans reimagined as 49ers break with tradition but remain wary of the unforeseen — YEP 19/11/23
Leeds United will be in unfamiliar territory when the January transfer window rolls around, thanks to the work done over the summer and ever since.
By Graham Smyth
For the first time in a long time the Whites are approaching
the market without urgent and desperate pleas from all around them to sign
players for positions crying out to be filled. For what felt like the longest
time that was central midfield and there was a point when Adam Forshaw's
arrival took on the feel of an historical event rather than a modern-day
development.
There was the need for a left-back, too, a proper Premier
League worthy left-back. And a striker. Is there ever not a need for one of
those, at any club? Well, as it happens, Leeds are actually sitting quite
pretty in the centre forward position right now with Georginio Rutter combining
his day job of leading the line with a lucrative sideline in chance creation.
Patrick Bamford, though thus-far goalless, has been Daniel Farke's go-to man to
give Rutter a break late on in games. And if for whatever reason either of
those two could not do the job, then Farke could always turn to the
Championship's best goalscorer over the past two seasons, Joel Piroe.
Piroe is currently being employed at 10, which makes sense
when you consider all the factors Farke listed so patiently and precisely not
so long ago. There's little need to re-open that debate right now, on the back
of six wins from seven games and with end product flowing from Farke's forward
line. Rutter has three goals and five assists. Piroe has six goals and one
assist. Wingers Crysencio Summerville and Daniel James have a remarkable 19
goal contributions between them.
But just like Farke's calls for his strikers to be a bit
more brutal with their finishing, Leeds could yet act emphatically in January
to try and finish off the promotion job. They could go and find a natural
number 10, a magic man to help make chances and score goals in the event of
Piroe being unavailable or having to play up top. Signings like Pablo Hernandez
and Emi Buendía do not grow on trees, particularly midway through a season -
although ironically it was in the month of January that Hernandez's loan became
permanent - but there will be players with Championship-level talent kicking
their heels at elite clubs and fancying some action in the second half of the
season.
The same could be said at left-back because while Sam Byram
has been outstanding as a free-agent make-shift left-back, and while Junior
Firpo's return to fitness has coincided with Byram's new and hopefully minor
hamstring issue, herein lies the issue. Both Byram and Firpo have had torrid
times with injuries over the past few seasons and it might not always be the
case that their availability dovetails as it has on this occasion. Leeds do
have Leo Hjelde in reserve, but his lack of proximity to the first team this
season - he hasn't made a matchday Championship squad since September 2 -
suggests that he is not currently part of Farke's thinking.
If Leeds are to act in January then it feels likely to be in
a temporary capacity. They have loan spots available and it would be no
surprise if Grétar Steinsson and Nick Hammond, who still appears to be involved
with the club amid no sign of a plan to part company, had been working on
identifying potential additions to be brought in from leagues at a higher
level.
Injuries could of course dictate between now and then, and
there is always the potential for a spectre at the feast in the form of a
sudden and difficult-to-avoid outgoing transfer situation, but the beauty of
this season and how it is unfolding after some sensible summer signings and the
credible work of Farke is that the needs do not present themselves as matters
of urgency. They are scoring goals. They are not conceding many. They are
winning games. Farke does have options in various positions and the squad depth
has come in handy.