Leeds United's three positions for possible transfer activity named as Farke lists boxes to tick — YEP 23/1/25

By Graham Smyth

Leeds United have three areas in which they will keep an open mind for potential transfer activity in the last days of the January window, but Daniel Farke wants a trio of boxes to be ticked first.

The Whites went into the window making it clear they expected it to be a quiet one. Club sources were adamant it would come as no surprise if they made no signings and instead just sent a couple of youngsters out on loan. Those youngsters turned out to be Joe Gelhardt, who joined Hull City, and Charlie Crew, who is now on loan with Doncaster Rovers. Despite the annual flurry of reports suggesting Leeds are targeting players X, Y and Z, there has been nothing close to a new arrival with 23 days of the window gone.

Farke has gone on record to say he would only consider additions if they improved the group, adding how difficult he feels it would be to find players who could do that in January. But he has also hinted that there were a couple of positions in which further strengthening could be considered. Centre-back was one of them while Leeds awaited news of Pascal Struijk’s second hamstring scan but with the tendon not damaged he has been cleared to return to team training in the next week. Even so, Farke has now listed the positions in which he is keeping an open mind between now and the deadline and central defence remains one of them. Unsurprisingly, a natural number 10 is still on the German’s wishlist.

He explained: “It’s fair to say that if there is a creative offensive player out there, a bit more like a number 10 then it could be benificial for our group. We have Brenden who has been excellent, a really key player for us but we don't have a similar player. We had Joel Piroe like a loose striker, perhaps one of our wingers could play it interpreting the role slightly different but there is a solution it definitely makes sense to stay awake. In all the other positions we are covered. The only things, I have a bit in my head are the centre-back position and Pascal had an injury CV in the past and sadly Max Wober didn't have the highest availability this season so far. Overall a bit in the striker position, we have two fit strikers and you know how much I rate Patrick Bamford, he's a really good player. It would be outstanding to have him available but sadly he's struggled with injuries and will be out for a couple of weeks more. These are more or less the three positions in which we'll stay awake.”

Should Leeds happen upon an opportunity to bring in a number 10 then Farke’s ideal scenario would be to add a player who brings something different to Aaronson in that position. He said: “Depends on the player. Each individual is a bit different. It would be good to add slightly different attributes but the January market is not that easy. We will be picky in the three rules, three boxes that have to be ticked. If we can tick all three it would be good to have a different solution a bit dissimilar to Brenden Aaronson.”

Those three boxes that he wants to be ticked before signing off on any recruitment for his first team are the golden rules by which he says Leeds must live when it comes to transfers.

“The quality has to be right,” he said. “It's not like we'll just add a number. It has to be a proper quality, then the character has to fit the group. Attitude has to be on top level. And the third thing is he has be affordable. The three need to come together in order to make a signing. If there is a solution we'll do this. I can rule out if there's a player on 31st January his club has agreed with four clubs a loan fee and he decides who pays the highest salary, I don't believe in this. We want players fully committed to what we're trying to do here at Leeds United. This is more or less the rules we'll stick to.”