
Leeds United sit second in the Championship table and have emerged as one of the strongest contenders for automatic promotion to the Premier League. The Yorkshire giants have been entertaining to watch this season and their performance in their 3-1 win over Middlesbrough underlined their credentials.
There is a clamour amongst fans for Leeds to bring in a striker in the winter window and the club have been linked with an interest with a few forwards in the winter window.
However, Leeds are the top goal-scorers of the Championship this season and have been at their free-scoring best in the ongoing campaign. It is true they do not have a standout striker as their top goalscorer is Joel Piroe with seven goals but the load is being shared between the team.
There are suggestions that Leeds need a striker who will guarantee them goals when things get tight towards the end of the season. The Whites needed a forward towards the end of last season and they suffered in their relegation campaign in the Premier League as well due to the lack of a reliable hitman.
However, if we look closely into the way Leeds play under Daniel Farke, they actually do not need a traditional number 9 and there is an element of ‘do not fix when it’s not broken’ about them.
The Leeds United manager does not need a traditional number 9
Patrick Bamford is the traditional number 9 in the squad but he has hardly gotten a look-in this season even when he has been fit. Farke has persisted with Piroe who likes getting involved in the play and is more of a playmaker up front.
The Dutchman has seven goals, four of which were scored when he came on from the bench, but he gets far more involved in the overall play for Leeds, which makes him invaluable to Farke.
Piroe has three assists in the league, which places him second behind Wilfried Gnonto in the Leeds squad. His ability to build play as a forward is why Leeds value him.
Norwich City Borja Sainz is the Championship’s top scorer with 15 strikes but he is the primary goalscorer for the Canaries, unlike Leeds where the goals have been spread out more.
The second-highest goalscorers in the Norwich squad are Ante Carnac and Josh Sargent with four goals each. However, Leeds have several more players who have chipped in with solid numbers.
Brenden Aaronson has five, Wilfried Gnonto and Daniel James have four each, Largie Ramazani has three and even Pascal Struijk and Jayden Bogle have chipped in with two goals each.
This is what has made Leeds special this season; they are not dependent on a traditional number 9 to score the bulk of the goals.
Farke is known for being wary about adding new players to the squad in the winter window and his circumspection could come in handy for Leeds.
Adding a number 9 to the squad could harm the balance of the team and any new forward would have to suit the kind of football Leeds play, which brings in all the attackers into the game.
What does Leeds need from a new forward?
Leeds United are tracking forwards but they are not expected to sign a traditional number 9 as that is not how Farke’s team operate. The Whites need a more versatile attacker who can play multiple roles in the forward line.
The way Leeds operate, they are not expected to spend money on a more experienced player and will likely bring in someone younger with potential.
Leeds already have Piroe and Joseph to operate down the middle but Farke would prefer to have someone different as he clearly has no faith in Bamford and Gelhardt.
A new forward would ideally be a young player who has the ability to play both down the middle, in a withdrawn role or out wide as per the requirements of the team.
Leeds depend on fast transitions when it comes to their attacks and would ideally want their new signing to have some pace to burn and the ability to dribble past defenders.
Farke is not expected to sign an attacker for the sake of it and will get into the market if a player of his liking becomes available in the winter transfer window.
