Daniel Farke in Leeds United January transfer message to Elland Road chiefs after Luke Ayling exit to Middlesbrough
Daniel Farke may have been sending a “subtle” message to the Leeds United hierarchy that he needs reinforcements this month at Cardiff City, says Adam Pope.
The BBC journalist said on Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet (15 January) that the manager’s comments after the 3-0 weekend win on to the difficult situation after injuries and outgoings, having trained with just 16 players in the week, were not quite a “plea” to board to make signings but highlighted the changing situation.
Luke Ayling left for Middlesbrough ahead of the game to compound the departure of Djed Spence back to Tottenham when his loan was cancelled, with Pope declaring it “obvious” that the squad is in need of help at full-back as a result.
Pope said when asked if the manager had been effectively issuing a plea to the board (21m 30s): “It is if he feels that nothing was getting done, which would sort of go against the grain.
“If you read into the words that were said before Cardiff that Luke came to him after the Peterborough game, that was a lot more short-notice than maybe we would suspect to believe. So maybe it’s like, ‘Yeah, it’s a bit more pressing’.
“Look, it’s obvious that full-back’s a key area that needs strengthening, and also you want it to happen sooner rather than later because you want to get them in and embedded into your style with two or three weeks of the window rather than leave it and then you’re starting in February with them.
“However, we know this window doesn’t really work like that and it can be a bit of scramble at the end.
“I didn’t get the initial feeling it was a plea but I do think there is maybe a little, subtle message saying, ‘Hey guys. Come on. Things have changed’.”
Pressing
Leeds United came into the January window looking loaded at right-back but light on the left since both Junior Firpo, the only specialist in the senior squad, and Sam Byram, the de facto starter for most of the season, are ongoing fitness concerns.
Farke clearly decided that neither Spence nor Ayling offer enough to him on the pitch to keep them at Elland Road so he has created a second priority for himself on right.
If everyone is fit the German currently has a right-back as first choice on the left in Byram, and a midfielder as first choice on the right in Archie Gray, which has served the Whites relatively well so far but doesn’t seem ideal.
Business is difficult in January as managers always point out but it would surely set some minds at ease to reinforce the full-back spots for the promotion run in.
That has of course also been the case for multiple windows leading up to this one, as Leeds United have neglected to sign specialist left-back since Firpo arrived from the Nou Camp two and a half years ago despite an increasingly obvious need.
Luke Thomas was pushed for in the summer but Leicester refused, and he has now returned to the King Power from his loan at Sheffield United, while there are ongoing links to Welsh teammates of Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon, but what the club are capable of getting over the line before the end of the month is hard to determine.
It could be crucial though to a team which good enough to beat anybody in the division on their day but dropping enough points to very possibly need to navigate the play-offs if they are to make it back to the Premier League.
In other Leeds United news, a Whites target has rejected interest from a transfer rival.