Leeds United are expected to enter the January transfer window before the deadline on February 3 to bring in one or two new players and strengthen their push for automatic promotion.
Daniel Farke started the January window by saying he didn’t expect any new signings but last Thursday, in his pre-Burnley press conference, Farke listed three positions he would like to strengthen before it ended.
One of those was a striker given Joe Gelhardt has joined Hull City on loan, and Patrick Bamford remains injured and likely to be out until the middle of February. Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph are Farke’s options.
Leeds have been linked with many strikers over the last four weeks, including Israel star Dor Turgeman and Aston Villa’s Louie Barry after he was recalled. Mergim Berisha is set to join German side Augsburg.
Graham Smyth verdict on Leeds links with Kelechi Iheanacho
Sergio Aguero’s back-up at Manchester City and seven years at Leicester City, Iheanacho is a household name in English football. But last summer, he joined Victor Orta’s Sevilla despite promotion with Leicester.
Reports said Leeds were closing in on the signing of Nigeria international Iheanacho. But, nothing has since materialised even though Iheanacho was an unused sub on Saturday as Sevilla drew with Espanyol.
Discussing the links with Iheanacho on the Inside Leeds United podcast, Smyth said: “This one doesn’t make sense. There’s been lots of links, some of them don’t even get me out of my arm chair to check.
“Wages for one, how his season has gone for another. The fact Leeds are monitoring Bamford to see if they need a striker but Farke is happy with Joseph and Piroe as a one and a two. So, I think unlikely.”
Comparing Iheanacho to Championship stats of Leeds strikers
Iheanacho has only spent one season of his career in the Championship, last term with Leicester as The Foxes gained automatic promotion ahead of Leeds and returned to the Premier League during 2023-24.
| Name | Clubs | Appearances | Minutes | Goals | Assists | Minutes per G+A |
| Joel Piroe | Leeds Swansea | 164 | 11673 | 64 | 16 | 145.9 |
| Mateo Joseph | Leeds | 47 | 1331 | 3 | 3 | 221.8 |
| Patrick Bamford | Leeds Middlesbrough Derby Forest | 210 | 12600 | 69 | 15 | 150 |
| Kelechi Iheanacho | Leicester | 23 | 915 | 5 | 1 | 152.5 |
The positives that Iheanacho brings to the table are that he is experienced in the Premier League. One that has scored plenty, and boasts 55 international caps. But his wages will be big, over at Sevilla.
His career is in decline, managing just nine La Liga outings for Sevilla and his three goals coming against lesser opposition in the Copa Del Rey. As Smyth says, Leeds should avoid a move for the striker.
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