Leeds United have made a steady start to life back in the Premier League this season and look like good bets to stay up in the top flight. However, there are gaps in their squad that need to be plugged, and the club are considering bringing in players in the winter transfer window.
Daniel Farke is aware that there are holes in his squad that could get exposed later in the season if not addressed in January. Leeds are especially short of firepower in the front line, and it has already cost them points in their first seven Premier League games.
The Whites want to bring in an attacking midfielder and winger in January, and the club are keeping tabs on Chris Wood’s situation at Nottingham Forest ahead of the winter window.
However, bringing in two or three players in January would be more complicated as Leeds are working under tight financial conditions due to the Premier League’s PSR regulations.
Leeds United winter spending unlikely due to PSR
Leeds United spent more than £100m on 10 new players in the summer transfer window. Fans were not pleased with that level of spending, but the club insisted that they could not have done more.
Managing director Robbie Evans claimed at the end of the summer that the club maxed out their PSR for the season and could not have done more.
He indicated that Leeds may have to sell a couple of key players if they are to bring in new players in the winter transfer window.
“Unequivocally, we are maxing PSR out this season. This summer, we spent everything we could”, Evans said.
“If we had gone onto other targets [on deadline day] or onto higher-priced players back in July, the consequences would have been seen in the current roster, in terms of players you either could not add beyond the guys that got brought in – so the players that came in in August wouldn’t have come.
“Or you’d see more key players from last year’s promotion side having to go. And so for us, there were only a handful of players that were worth even considering making those kinds of sales. And when those top players did materialise, we held on to our key players instead.”
The two players who could be sold for a maximum of PSR profits
Leeds are looking to bring in two or three players in the winter transfer window. However, that may need a sacrifice or two in terms of player sales.
The Whites are keen to sell Illan Meslier, but it may be hard to find a club that will be ready to pay a transfer fee for the Frenchman in January.
Leeds need to maximise their PSR profits to bring in real quality in January, and that may lead to two key player exits in the coming months.
Wilfried Gnonto has attracted Saudi interest ahead of the winter window, and a deal worth £30m could tempt Leeds into selling the Italian.
Pascal Struijk is one more player who could be sold for a huge profit. They decided against selling him in the summer when Villarreal showed interest in him
However, selling Gnonto and Struijk will weaken the Leeds squad, and it will be a huge risk if the club fail to secure quality replacements in the middle of the season.
Daniel Farke may want to stick with what he has rather than risk destabilising his squad in the winter window.
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