Leeds United managed to sign two strikers in the summer transfer window; Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It took a lot of time for both players to be fit and firing but recent games have shown they can deliver.
But a lot of factors point to the Whites going into January to add a new center forward. With the new 3-5-2 system, it means that there will be two strikers on the pitch for most of the time. This leaves Joel Piroe as the only depth option on the bench; and the Dutchman has been limited to cameos this season. Farke even chose to play Noah Okafor over him when Nmecha picked up an injury.
Nmecha is also a factor why the team could dip in the market next month. Despite his recent run of form, he is now injured. Leeds having two injury-prone players in vital positions is not a good sign as the season enters the halfway mark.
Josh Sargent update emerges amidst Leeds United link
Norwich City star Josh Sargent has been linked with the Whites since the summer, with Daniel Farke reportedly a big fan of the American. Sargent turned down a move to German in the summer, and chose to stay with the Canaries. Many around the club believe that the forward may leave before the end of the season.
| Season | Games Played | Goals Scored |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 41 | 13 |
| 2023-24 | 29 | 16 |
| 2024-25 | 33 | 15 |
According to Football League World, that will not be the case in January. Sargent has been in poor form since his bright start to the season as he scored five goals in four league games. He has since struggled to recapture that form. Another huge factor that possibly rules out any potential move in January is Norwich’s valuation; in the summer, a Bundesliga club offered in excess of £20 million – a fee Leeds are unlikely to pay next month.
Depth at center forward still needs to be addressed
Farke has managed to turn around the fortunes of the club in the past few weeks, but the team still need some quality on board. The 49ers need to be active in January before the depth at center forward becomes an issue.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, the two main options, are injury-prone. And Joel Piroe is heavily out of favour this campaign; at least adding another body in that position could be a good move for the club for the second half of the season.
