Credit: Manh Tung, Breaking Media

Richie Mills

Mon 23 March 2026 13:10, UK

Leeds United may have a personnel problem as they bid to stave off relegation to the Championship.

Daniel Farke’s side failed to score for the fourth Premier League game in a row after their goalless draw with Brentford at Elland Road on Saturday night.

Leeds have now gone 64 shots without scoring in the Premier League as they hover four points above the relegation zone.

The last time Leeds won a game in the league was back on 6 February against Nottingham Forest, and their last goal was away at Aston Villa on 21 February.

Leeds have a fully fit squad to choose from, but there seems to be a dearth of creativity. That begs the question: Did the 49ers Enterprises do enough in the January transfer window?

Leeds’ quality in the final third lacking

Heading into Leeds’ clash with Premier League title challengers Manchester City in late February, Farke’s side had scored 37 goals in 27 games.

Four matches later, Leeds haven’t added to that goals tally. They created enough chances to win the City game and missed a penalty in the goalless draw at Crystal Palace.

But they were toothless against Sunderland and Brentford in particular, as the away teams sat in and Leeds had no answer.

When Leeds’ starting XI to face Brentford was revealed, Brenden Aaronson was arguably their most creative player in the line-up.

And with the United States international currently out of form, it highlights how Leeds don’t have a difference-maker.

Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, Joe Rodon, and Jaka Bijol were solid against Brentford, but they aren’t really the players to unlock defences.

Many Leeds fans were crying out for Wilfried Gnonto to play against the Bees, but the Italian international was an unused substitute.

He has only produced two assists in 16 league games this season, so the 22-year-old may not be the answer either.

If Leeds do go down, fingers will undoubtedly be pointed at the 49ers for only signing one player in the January window.

Facundo Buonanotte has been a pointless signing

Leeds tried and failed to sign Brighton’s attacking midfielder Facundo Buonanotte last summer, but Chelsea hijacked the move at the 11th hour.

He joined the Blues on loan for the first half of the season, but after a lack of game time, the 21-year-old headed to Elland Road in January.

The former Leicester City loanee was Leeds’ sole winter window recruit as the 49ers decided against bidding more than £40million for Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen, who ended up joining Crystal Palace.

If Buonanotte was fully fit and had lots of games under his belt this season, the Argentina international might have been the player Leeds needed at this moment in time.

He can play through the lines and is a strong dribbler.

But Farke isn’t even selecting him in Leeds’ matchday squads. So, what was the point in signing him? Would it not have been wiser for Leeds to look elsewhere?

Regardless, Leeds have to make do with what they have got. They will just hope that the gamble the 49ers took in January pays off come the end of May.