Leeds United’s rumoured £16.5m January transfer has just become even more unlikely

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There is a reason, and a reason Leeds United supporters know all too well, while this time of year is often referred to as ‘silly season’.

The time where rumours are abundant, and truth often makes way for a ‘good story’.

The January transfer window is now just days away. And, as such, fans of Leeds United and pretty much every club in the Championship are preparing themselves for an entire summer’s worth of speculation squeezed into four short, and usually rather uneventful, weeks.

Was that Coaimhin Kelleher you saw in the Beeston branch of B’n’Q? Did you just witness Illan Meslier walk through security at Leeds-Bradford Airport, a passport in one hand and a Paris Saint-Germain scarf in the other?

In addition to PSG, Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly chasing Meslier too. But is Meslier about to cross the Channel while Abdokodir Khusanov jets over the water in the other direction?

In addition to PSG, Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly chasing Meslier too.

Well, no, probably not. Leeds will likely have little interest in cashing in on their number one in the midst of a promotion charge – Daniel Farke hailed the ‘crucial’ Meslier after his fine early save set Leeds on their way against Stoke City last time out – while the reports linking Khusanov with a mid-season switch to West Yorkshire feel distinctly pie in the sky.

Leeds United’s chances of signing Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens look slim

Top Mercato claim that Leeds have made a bid of around £16.5 million for the RC Lens defender.

Now, there are a number of reasons why the prospect of Khusanov joining Leeds United next month remains unlikely, and not just because Top Mercato are hardly the most renowned of outlets.

Lens want closer to £25 million. TBR Football, meanwhile, understands that Premier League stalwarts Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur have scouted the Uzbekistan international recently.

What’s more, while Farke insists that Leeds are in a ‘healthy’ position financially, investing just shy of £20 million on a single player while still a Championship club would arguably see the risks outweigh the potential rewards.

Leeds ‘can’t spend a fortune’, the coach adds.

And while Lens do need to raise cash pretty quickly, the perennial Ligue 1 overachievers could do just that without having to let go of their ‘monster’ centre-half.

Lens to raise £12m by selling Brice Samba to Ligue 1 rivals Rennes

According to L’Equipe, Lens have reached an agreement with top-flight rivals Rennes. One that will see Brice Samba – the former Nottingham Forest goalkeeper – complete a January move to Brittany. It is expected that Samba’s departure will earn RC Lens in the region of £12 million.

So, that’s Lens under a little less pressure to sell, Premier League competition, a massive price-tag, and Leeds’ Championship-restricted budget. Any more reasons why Abdukadir Khusanov is unlikely to end the window wearing white?

“After January 4, there will be FA Cup weekend, and then we can speak about everything else if we do something in January,” Farke told reporters this month. “Until then, there won’t be any decisions and we just want to focus on winning as many games as possible.

“I don’t think we need to earn any more money. We earned more money than any club in Western Europe [over the summer]. It’s important for us to be sustainable after some difficult years in terms of spending. You have to stick to the rules and there is a moment when you have to sell some players after perhaps over-spending.

“It was beneficial for the long-term picture. We had to rebuild but overall, I think it was beneficial. We are a healthy club right now and so no pressure to do anything.

We can’t spend a fortune but there is no need to do anything in terms of earning more money.”