Leeds United have made a solid start to the season, but Daniel Farke cannot ignore some red herrings about his squad despite the positivity.
The 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace showed Leeds still have consistency issues, and some players in their squad may no longer be good enough.
Leeds and their squad have plenty of positives at this stage of the season. However, it is clear that the squad are carrying certain players who need to leave Elland Road.
The January transfer window will give Leeds another chance to reshape their squad, and they must not avoid making some big decisions mid-season.
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£25m Leeds star is no longer good enough for Leeds
Dan James has been a good servant to Leeds, and played a significant role in getting the Whites promoted to the Premier League in the 2024/25 season.
He signed a lucrative new contract at Leeds last year until 2029, and it increasingly seems like a bad financial decision by the 49ers.
James has struggled with fitness over the last year and has been a part-time player off the bench since the latter half of last season. He is no longer seen as a starting-quality winger.
However, his impact from the bench has also diminished, and he has played 52 minutes in three substitute appearances in the Premier League.
Injuries have taken a toll on the winger’s physical condition, and he no longer possesses that blistering pace that made him a threat to defenders.
Daniel Farke does not trust him enough to start in the Premier League, and his performances from the bench have not inspired confidence as well.
There is a serious conversation about his future at Leeds, and Farke must get ruthless and look to sell him when the winter transfer window opens.
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James must get sold in January
Leeds did well to move on several players in the summer, even if on loan deals, to reshape their squad and bring in proper replacements and upgrades.
That process needs to continue in the winter window if they want to be a serious club again. Daniel Farke is known for wanting to keep the squad together in January, but this time, he must get ruthless.
James is not adding value to the squad at the moment, and the Whites must bring in an upgrade mid-season.
The Welshman needs to be told that he is no longer part of the club’s plans, and asked to find a new club in the winter transfer window.
