Leeds United head into the January transfer window with renewed focus, prioritising improvements in attack as they look to reinforce their push for Premier League survival.
An upturn in results has brought greater stability to the campaign and eased some of the immediate pressure on Daniel Farke, yet questions persist over certain areas of the squad going into the second half of the season.
Tactical changes have sharpened that requirement. The move to a 5-3-2 formation has increased the reliance on another striker, but the club are looking at reinforcements at both ends of the pitch.
Danilo Doekhi, who has a contract with Union Berlin until the end of the season, has been heavily linked with a move to Leeds. Daniel Farke is a known admirer of the Dutch centre-back.
Union Berlin’s January transfer move pushes Danilho Doekhi towards Leeds United
The 27-year-old centre-back has been a regular in the Union Berlin team. However, the German club are aware that he is almost certain to leave in January or next summer, when his contract expires.
Leeds are keen to get their hands on Doekhi, and have not ruled out making a move for him in the winter transfer window as well.
| Competition | Games | Goals | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesliga | 16 | 4 | 1,440 |
| DFB-Pokal | 3 | 2 | 300 |
| Total | 19 | 6 | 1,740 |
Union Berlin are anticipating his departure and are now advancing in talks to sign one more centre-back as his replacement.
According to German journalist Florian Plettenburg, Union Berlin are in talks to sign Royal Antwerp defender Zeno Van Den Bosch in January.
Negotiations are at an advanced stage, and the player has already given his consent to a contract with Union Berlin.
Union Berlin are convinced about signing him, and have already planned a medical for him in the coming days.
Van den Bosch is seen as the replacement for Doekhi, who could now leave the German club before the end of the ongoing transfer window.
Leeds must not wait until the summer to sign Doekhi
With Leeds now playing three centre-backs, the squad are a bit stretched at the back and only has Sebastiaan Bornauw as the back-up defender.
The Belgian has also been linked with a return to Germany, where FC Koln and a few other German clubs are interested in getting their hands on him.
Leeds cannot afford to lose Bornauw without signing a replacement, and this is where the latest development at Union Berlin would encourage the Whites.
If Bornauw is indeed keen to leave Leeds, the club should not waste any time and make an offer to sign Doekhi in the winter transfer window.
Leeds cannot afford to wait until the summer to sign him on a free transfer and get a deal over the line this month if the 27-year-old is a long-term target.
