Leeds United want to sign a new centre-back, or so it seems, and Daniel Farke wanted a reunion with former Norwich City man Andrew Omobamidele. But that’s not going to be happening.
Leeds United’s need for a new centre-back has just gotten even bigger following news that Pascal Struijk is injured, and could face several months on the sidelines if scans show his injury to be worse than first feared.
One of several centre-backs linked was Andrew Omobamidele. The Republic of Ireland international, who worked under Daniel Farke at Norwich City, is well out of favour at Nottingham Forest. But he looks set for a move into Europe.
Reports on Thursday revealed that Omobamidele is set to join Strasbourg in Ligue 1, linking up with former Hull City boss Liam Rosenior who took charge during the summer.
Now, Farke must quickly turn his attentions elsewhere. A centre-back signing seems like a real priority now as Struijk’s injury record suggests he could be out for some time now. But Farke could find the perfect answer elsewhere in the Premier League.
Rob Holding exiled at Crystal Palace, he’s perfect for Leeds United
Former Arsenal centre-back Rob Holding now plays for Crystal Palace. He left the Gunners to move across London and join the Eagles in September 2023, but he’s not made a single Premier League appearance since.
There’s suggestions that Holding and Palace boss Oliver Glasner have had a falling out behind the scenes, with Glasner brutally freezing Holding out of the first-team picture at Selhurst Park.
Now 29 years old, Holding came through the ranks at Bolton Wanderers but made his name with Arsenal. The centre-back made 162 first-team appearances for the Gunners between 2016 and 2023, with just one Carabao Cup to his name at Palace.
There’s one issue for Leeds United should they want Rob Holding
Holding ticks all the boxes for Leeds: He’s experienced, he’s got Premier League quality, he’s surely hungry to play football, and he plied his trade at Arsenal where he would’ve learned how to play out from the back.
He could fit the bill for Leeds under Farke. But Holding is reportedly holding out for a move to the MLS. He remains under contract at Palace until 2026 and he wants to take on a new chapter in the States.
This is where Farke would have to sell the Leeds project to Holding. It’d be a chance to get back on the horse and prove his Palace doubters wrong, and show them that he can be an effective player in English football, as he has been in the past.
For Leeds, it could be a season-defining signing, or at least a very useful one with numbers at the back now very low.
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