With Leeds United sitting in third place after 22 matches, ten points from Ipswich Town in the automatic spots, here are five pieces of business the Yorkshire side could make this coming January window to catch up with the top two.
Leeds sit on 42 points at this stage of the season, a respectable points tally if not for the quality of Ipswich and Leicester City ahead of them. The highlights of the season so far are the two away victories over the leading pair in the league 4-3 and 1-0 respectively. However, with a 1-0 loss to Sunderland and a 1-1 draw with struggling Rotherham, Leeds fans will be hoping for further improvements to their star-studded squad this January window.
1. Brenden Aaronson (recall from loan)
The 23-year-old American joined Union Berlin on loan after a lacklustre first season at Elland Road. Aaronson has managed only four starts and nine appearances in the Bundesliga this season, failing to provide a single goal or assist in all competitions so far. After handing over a hefty £27.5 million to Red Bull Salzburg for the services of the industrious playmaker in the summer of 2022 their best hope of garnering a return on that investment would be to recall him this January.
Daniel Farke has been able to recapture the form of Daniel James, Illan Meslier and Georginio Rutter this season in the Championship, and the Whites remain without a creative number 10 in their squad. If Farke could work this same coaching magic on the ‘Medford Messi’ then not only could it set the player’s career back on track but provide Leeds another tool in their already emphatic attacking arsenal.
2. Joe Gelhardt (send out on loan)
Gelhardt has generally had a successful period in West Yorkshire after hopping over the Pennines from Wigan in 2020. The number nine/attacking midfielder/hybrid has been unable to field any minutes for Farke’s side this season since the window slammed shut, following the arrival of Joel Piroe and the return of Patrick Bamford and Wilfried Gnonto from absence.
A loan deal out to another Championship club this winter would allow Gelhardt to continue developing his game, who at 21 I’m sure is desperate to further his career, as well as clearing the pathway for the likes of Mateo Joseph and Ian Poveda whom Farke has seemingly preferred this season.
3. Ali Al Hamadi (AFC Wimbledon to Leeds)
Al-Hamadi has lit up the Fourth tier this season with ten goals and five assists in as few as 18 games for AFC Wimbledon and therefore has been linked with a move away to clubs at all levels of the professional game. As previously reported by us here at The Real EFL, Leeds hold an interest in the 21-year-old Iraqi international.
Daniel Farke has only managed to muster one goal from his bench this season, the lowest in the division, and therefore the Wimbledon starlet could play an important role for the Peacocks, giving them goals off of the bench where they lack it. And with a reported £1.5 million fee required, it wouldn’t require much financial muscle to make it happen.
4. Luis Sinisterra/ Jaidon Anthony (recall from loan)
The Real EFL have reported Leeds would like to recall the Colombian international who left Elland Road to Bournemouth on transfer deadline day, with Jaidon Anthony coming the other way from the Vitality Stadium. Sinisterra has been given only one start for the Cherries this campaign, whilst Anthony has been limited to only substitute appearances.
The 24-year-old Premier League winger showed at the start of the season he is a special player at Championship level and with it not working in the top flight it could be mutually beneficial to return to Yorkshire and help Leeds across the line, that’s if Leeds fans can forgive the player for forcing his way out so late in the window.
5. Ian Maatsen (Chelsea to Leeds)
The 21-year-old left-back returned to Chelsea last summer after an emphatic season on loan at Burnley in the second division last term. But with only 130 minutes in the Premier League for the promising full-back a move away from Stamford Bridge has been reported by The Chelsea Chronicle.
Whilst the Yorkshire club would likely lack the cash to fund a permanent deal for the player this window, with FFP concerns after relegation, perhaps a loan-to-buy deal for the player would be a good option for both sides. Farke has had issues at left-back with fitness concerns for the Junior Firpo and Sam Byram and Maatsen has proved himself excellent at that level. He is certainly the calibre of player that could help close the gap on the automatic spots.
