A theme of Leeds United’s transfer window has been the sheer number of players linked with moves to Elland Road who have worked with Daniel Farke before.
Take Emi Buendia, for instance.
A major part of that all-conquering Norwich City team, storming to promotion alongside the likes of Teemu Pukki and Mario Vranjcic. Now, Leeds United News have been informed that Buendia could reunite with Daniel Farke at Leeds before the window closes in early-February.
Aston Villa, who signed Buendia in a £30 million deal from Norwich, would rather see the silky Argentine playmaker move to West Yorkshire rather than Spain. Especially if a return to the Premier League frees up funds for Leeds United to make the arrangement permanent.
Leeds have also been linked with Bali Mumba; the Plymouth Argyle wing-back who moved to Home Park from East Anglia. Nico Elvedi earned Farke’s admiration at Borussia Monchengladbach, meanwhile.
He has taken up a semi-permanent residency in the gossip columns too with his contract at the Bundesliga outfit expiring in the summer.
According to reports, Leeds opened talks with Nottingham Forest misfit Andrew Omobamidele at the beginning of January too.
Leeds United miss out as Andrew Omobamidele heads to Strasbourg
Another who made his name under Farke at Carrow Road, Omobamidele is crying out for a fresh start as the £11 million centre-back slips down the pecking order at Nuno Espirito Santo’s surprise-packages.
But after those Leeds links went a little quiet, the decibels are rising across the Channel as the Republic of Ireland international closes in on a mid-season switch to Strasbourg instead.
According to L’Equipe, Omobamidele is currently in France to continue talks with the Ligue 1 outfit. Strasbourg have already reached an agreement with Nottingham Forest.
Coached by former Derby County and Hull City boss Liam Rosenior, and owned by Todd Boehly’s BlueCo group, Strasbourg already possess a number of players who arrived from English football. Their Chelsea connections have seen Djordje Petrovic, Andrey Santos and Caleb Wiley arrive, while one-time Southampton striker Sekou Mara is also making the Alsace region his home these days.
“It’s been a tough period for him. Opportunities have been limited,” former Forest winger Andy Reid says of his compatriot, Omobamidele playing only once in 2024/25 – and that was in the Carabao Cup.
“He needs to go play football. I would imagine he will find something that lets him get on the football pitch.
“He’s somebody that I worked with at the Ireland Under 18s. He’s a great lad and I think he’ll have a really good career, but he needs to play some football.”
Leeds keep another cleak sheet despite Pascal Struijk absence
Farke labelled Omobamidele an ‘outstanding’ talent after handing the then-teenage centre-back his Premier League debut against Arsenal a few years ago.
Speaking out outstanding, Leeds United’s impressive defensive record continued as Manor Solomon and Dan James saw off Norwich on Wednesday night at Elland Road.
Illan Meslier now has 16 clean sheets this season. Not that the Frenchman was particularly tested. Leeds’ defensive statistics are nothing short of ‘ground-breaking’, and they allowed Farke and Omobamidele’s old employers a grand total of zero shots on target in midweek.
And while Pascal Struijk faces an extended spell on the sidelines, Leeds do have captain Ethan Ampadu capable of slotting back in at centre-half without breaking sweat.
The versatile Ampadu not only completed 97 per cent of his passes against Norwich, he also completed two tackles and three clearances in a faultless defensive display. Maybe this – Ampadu returning recently after a lengthy spell out – is why Leeds did not go all-in on Omobamidele.
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