Leeds United transfer window: Phil Hay shares January update on Neco Williams from Nottingham Forest
Phil Hay doesn’t see any scope for Leeds United to be able to sign Neco Williams from Nottingham Forest this month despite having been told of interest in the Welshman.
Speaking on The Square Ball podcast on 8 January The Athletic journalist said that the 22-year-old full-back appears to be valued by new City Ground manager Nuno Espirito Santo so links to a move during the window are probably going nowhere.
Hay disagreed with Daniel Farke’s claim that the Whites are well-stocked at full-back despite the termination of Djed Spence’s loan and suggested some strengthening at the position would expected in January, but admitted it was “very, very quiet” on the transfer front currently.
Hay said when asked on targets at Elland Road (23m 30s): “A few people have been telling us that they like Neco Williams at Forest as well.
“But I don’t think there is much, or any, scope for Forest letting him out. He seems to be well in the plans of Nuno, or at least well-rated by Nuno.
“It is very, very quiet, I have to say, at Leeds on the transfer front at the moment. I did pick up on the quotes from Farke… him saying, ‘We’re quite well covered at full-back’. It doesn’t really feel like that, I have to be honest.”
Ominous?
Just because it is quiet doesn’t necessarily mean that nothing is happening behind the scenes, but if Farke was being genuine about his assessment of the situation in defence it would be concerning.
He may have been playing the situation down to prevent Leeds United from looking desperate in the wake of Spence’s return to Tottenham, and if Nick Hammond and company are trying to get deals done on the quiet to avoid competition then that makes sense.
But with injuries starting to mount for Sam Byram on the left and Luke Ayling seemingly no longer trusted on the right the Whites do look a misstep or two away from a crisis at the back, especially when Archie Gray and Jamie Shackleton aren’t specialists.
Leeds wanted Williams from Forest in the summer, and while he was struggling to get a game under Steve Cooper it was suggested he could be headed for a loan move in January [Telegraph, 3 November].
But since the managerial change at the City Ground the international teammate of Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon looks to be back in favour, making the timing of his changing fortunes between the two transfer windows very frustrating from a Whites point of view.
The 37-cap former Liverpool man would make a lot of sense for Leeds United at this stage, not least in joining up with his compatriots who are both key men for Farke, so it would be no surprise if the club was still interested in a move, but Hay’s verdict isn’t a hopeful one.
In other Leeds United news, a “£40million player” could be headed to Elland Road this month and has been backed to be “sensational” under Farke.