The tricky thing for Leeds United, as the January transfer window offers Daniel Farke the chance to add to his ranks, is finding players who would genuinely improve the starting XI.
Then again, maybe that is not what’s required at Elland Road this month.
Perhaps Leeds United, rather than enhancing Daniel Farke’s team sheet, instead need to add depth. An injury to one of Joe Rodon or Pascal Struijk would leave the Championship leaders with only Ethan Ampadu and Max Wober as their central defensive options, after all.
And with months still remaining in a gruelling promotion battle, Leeds’ options do feel a little thin at the defensive end of the pitch.
Leeds are reportedly looking to reunite Farke with Nico Elvedi, the Borussia Monchengladbach stopper who could be available on a knock-down fee with his contract running out. Leeds have expressed an interest in Lens ace Abdukodir Khusanov too, albeit this feels more than a little ambitious with Manchester City and Real Madrid reportedly among his admirers.
Andrew Omobamidele, in contrast, feels a lot more attainable.
Don Goodman expresses doubts over Leeds United’s Andrew Omobamidele pursuit
Nottingham Forest paid £11 million to sign the Republic of Ireland international from Norwich City but he is well down the pecking order at Nuno Espirito Santo’s Premier League surprise packages.
Farke knows Omobamidele well from their time at Norwich, the manager describing him as an ‘outstanding’ talent.
And, while former West Brom, Sunderland and Wolves striker Don Goodman has his doubts about whether Omobamidele would oust Rodon or Struijk from Leeds’ team sheet, he defers to Farke’s prior knowledge of the 22-year-old amid claims that the Yorkshire giants have opened talks over a mid-season switch
“Daniel Farke knows Andrew Omobamidele,” the Leeds-born Goodman says. “And he was a decent Championship defender at Norwich.
“However, he’s not cut it at Nottingham Forest and I’m not sure whether he’s an upgrade on what Leeds United have currently got and whether they really need him for depth.
“[But] it is an interesting link. Daniel Farke knows him better than I do, and if Omobamidele does sign it will be down to the manager knowing what he’s capable of.”
Max Wober injured as Leeds’ centre-back depth questioned
Farke confirmed that Max Wober will miss Leeds’ FA Cup clash with Harrogate Town on Saturday due to a knee issue. As such, the German has only three senior central defenders avaialble to him for the visit of the League Two outfit.
Joel Piroe and Patrick Hamford are also unavailable, though Junior Firpo and Illia Gruev should return to selection sooner rather than later.
“Joel Piroe is struggling with muscular problems so we won’t risk him at the weekend,” Farke says. “Junior Firpo is back in team training which is a big boost for us. Illia Gruev is back in training. I have just two concerns at the minute.
“Patrick Bamford and the second is an ongoing knee problem for Max Wober who was unable to train this week. He struggles with his knee.”
Wober has been linked with a return to Austria via Red Bull Salzburg. The likelihood is that he will stay in Yorkshire until the summer at the earliest, however, with Salzburg struggling to finance a deal for a player who set Leeds back a cool £11 million two years ago.
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