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Why Leeds United may decide against splashing the cash in January – analysis

Leed United are approaching the winter transfer window in a position of strength. They sit second in the Championship standings and appear to be in a three-way race to finish in the top two this season. The squad look good on paper and some of the injuries are also clearing up, allowing Daniel Farke to have more options on his table. Fans want Leeds to spend in the winter window to boost their promotion hopes further but there are signs the club could decide against spending money in January.

The Whites escaped Deepdale with a 1-1 draw against Preston North End last Saturday, which kept them second in the league table and they have still only lost three games this season.

Leeds’ away form is a worry and three of their next five games are on the road. However, we have already argued that it could be their best chance to fix those away day woes because of the quality of the opposition they will come up against.

Apart from the festive fixtures, Leeds fans also have their eyes on the winter window opening on 1st January and what the club could do to further strengthen Farke’s squad.

Leeds supporters want the club to bring in a striker despite the club scoring the most number of goals in the Championship this season and are also keen to see them invest in their midfield.

However, at the moment there is no clarity on whether Leeds will actually try to bring in new players in the winter window unless circumstances force them to dip into their funds.

For the moment, it appears, Farke is more than happy with his squad and could choose to focus on the current set of players for the rest of the season.

Where can Leeds United improve in January?

It all felt a bit panicky after Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev suffered knee injuries earlier in the season. While the latter is expected to be out for months, Ampadu is back in the squad and has made substitute appearances in the last two league games.

There were suggestions earlier in the campaign that Leeds United could be forced to bring in a defender and a midfielder in the winter window to cover for the injuries. However, the situation is looking vastly different ahead of January.

Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell have formed a brilliant midfield partnership over the last several weeks and Pascal Struijk’s performances mean there is no guarantee on when Ampadu will return to the starting eleven.

The Leeds captain is also a natural defensive midfielder and will provide more than just quality cover in the middle of the park if Farke needs him.

However, one can argue that Leeds could need to add a striker to their squad in the winter window to bolster their attacking options.

Despite being the highest scorers in the league this season, Leeds do not have a standout striker and Joel Piroe has been their top scorer with seven goals. Leeds have also found it hard to score goals regularly away from home this season.

However, Farke’s style is not based on having a typical number 9 up front and the forward also plays the role of a playmaker, which suits Piroe.

Even if Leeds bring in an attacker, it won’t be a number 9 but more of an all-round forward, which is why they have been linked with an interest in Stockport’s 21-year-old forward Louie Barry.

It would also be interesting to see whether Farke would want a replacement for Joe Gelhardt who is likely to leave on loan in the winter window.

Daniel Farke is known for being wary of adding new faces to his squad in January

It will come down to whether Farke is actually keen to bring in new faces for his squad in the January transfer window.

The Leeds United boss is big on team dynamics, squad unity and maintaining balance and harmony in his squad to achieve the club’s goals going forward.

Farke is reticent of taking any chances that could affect the balance in his squad and has been more than keen to place his trust in the players he already has.

The German is not big on bringing in players in the middle of the season as he is wary that could affect the internal dynamics of the squad he has at Elland Road.

We have argued that the Leeds boss must ignore those worries and try to make additions to his squad. However, the more we think about it, the more it makes sense for him to stick to what he has.

There could be a chance for him to bring in players if there are departures but the Leeds boss is likely to place his trust on the players who have done so well this season.

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