Graham Smyth 'wouldn't be surprised' if Leeds United revisit £10m target after injury blow — YEP 21/1/25
By Kyle Newbould
Leeds United could be forced to enter the transfer market
for defensive reinforcements.
YEP chief football writer Graham Smyth ‘wouldn’t be
surprised’ if Leeds United reignite summer interest in Nottingham Forest
defender Andrew Omobamidele this month.
Omobamidele is expected to leave Forest before the February
3 deadline in search of more regular football, having played just one game all
season and none in the Premier League. Reports quickly linked the 22-year-old
with a move to Elland Road with some even suggesting talks were underway over a
loan-to-buy deal.
Daniel Farke has regularly insisted the club will ‘stay
awake’ this month in case an injury forces them into the market, and that
scenario may come true at the back with concern over the length of Pascal
Struijk’s absence. The Dutchman is currently expected to be out for three weeks
with a hamstring injury but that could quickly turn into three months, if
further scans show tendon involvement.
A three-month absence would likely encourage Leeds to sign
defensive reinforcements this month and with little time to act, previous
targets could be revisited. And Smyth believes summer interest in Omobamidele,
coupled with his current availability, could make a January approach possible.
“He was a player that was liked in a previous window,
genuinely,” he told The Square Ball. “But he hadn’t been a target this window
prior to Struijk. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was on a list and will be
revisited after Struijk’s injury.”
Should Leeds decide to rekindle their interest in
Omobamidele, then several factors will lean in their favour. The Republic of
Ireland international has long been expected to leave the City Ground this
month and one of Forest’s coaching staff, Andy Reid, even came out to suggest
as much recently.
“It’s been a tough period for him, opportunities have been
limited,” Reid told Off The Ball when quizzed on Omobamidele. “He needs to go
play football – I’d imagine he will find something that lets him get on the
football pitch. He’s somebody that I worked with at the Ireland under 18s, he’s
a great lad and I think he’ll have a really good career. But he needs to play
some football.”
Farke might also hope to lean on his relationship with
Omobamidele, having overseen his senior football breakthrough at Norwich City.
The defender earned his first-team debut at Carrow Road before a first ever
Premier League appearance against Arsenal - both coming under the now-Leeds
boss.
Ethan Ampadu filled in comfortably at centre-back during
Sunday’s 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, reuniting with Joe Rodon to form
Farke’s ‘Welsh wall’. But the club captain’s presence was missed in midfield
and the Whites boss admitted after full-time that it was not a permanent
solution.
Farke was unable to provide a fresh update on Struijk during
his Monday evening press conference, with further scans expected once the
swelling goes down. Those assessments will likely take place later this week,
with hope of more clarity ahead of next week’s trip to Burnley.