Leeds United to put Ipswich and Southampton on notice as two new signings mooted at Elland Road
Leeds United could be set to put Ipswich Town and Southampton on notice about their automatic promotion ambitions with the signings of Ben Davies and Calvin Ramsay, according to Carlton Palmer.
Speaking to Football League World on Saturday (20 January), the pundit said he doesn’t believe table-toppers Leicester City can be caught this season, but that the second-place Tractor Boys are “catchable” for the Whites and the Saints.
He noted how Daniel Farke admitted this is the most important transfer window for the club, adding that the potential signings of Liverpool right-back Ramsay and Tottenham left-back Davies will improve their chances of achieving an immediate return to the Premier League this season.
“Leeds United sit fourth in the Championship table on 51 points, seven points behind Ipswich Town,” said Palmer. “Leicester City are on 65 points, with 19 games to play and, in my opinion, 90 points should see them promoted automatically, so they need 25 points out of a possible 57 points and I don’t think any team in the league are catching Leicester.
“On the other hand, Ipswich on 58 points are catchable by either Southampton or Leeds. In a bid to close that gap and gain automatic promotion, Leeds are looking at recruiting Calvin Ramsay from Liverpool and Ben Davies from Spurs.
“Daniel Farke stated when he joined the club late on in the summer that he had a lot to work on in assessing the group and moving players on, and in the January transfer window, he’d make his move. He said it would be the most important transfer window for him to get the club in a position to challenge, he has done that, and he expected the club to kick on in the second half of the season.
“If Leeds were to sign Davies and Ramsay, Farke would be putting Ipswich and Southampton on notice that their intention is automatic promotion.”
Need depth
There is no doubt that Leeds do need to get some more depth through the door in the fullback areas after their options have been reduced dramatically this month.
Djed Spence had his loan spell from Tottenham cut short and Luke Ayling moved on to join fellow Championship side Middlesbrough on loan.
Ramsay seems like the more realistic transfer to pursue as the 20-year-old was recalled from his loan with Preston North End earlier this month and is likely to head out of Anfield temporarily again in the second half of the season.
But the Davies deal just doesn’t really make any sense from the 30-year-old’s point of view as he’s played regularly at Spurs this season and would probably be able to secure another Premier League move at worst.
But if the Whites can manage to get those two players through the door, then Farke would be very pleased with his defensive options heading into the final few months of the campaign.
In other Leeds United news, Farke has shared the Whites’ stance on making a loan move permanent.
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