Presenter and YouTuber Conor McGilligan has slammed the Leeds United board for their activity in past January transfer markets ahead of the upcoming window.
Premier League football has now returned after a long break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and in just a matter of days, teams will be able to sign new players to help bolster their teams for the second half of the season.
However, it remains to be seen if Leeds will be active in the market. Indeed, as explained in The Athletic: “The club prefer not to spend at this time of year”.
However, with the Whites potentially set to be part of a relegation dogfight, they may well have to look to the January market to improve the level of their squad.
And while speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, McGilligan suggested that the club’s past winter business was a reason to be pessimistic about what could be set to come, with The Athletic showing there was no money spent in the Januarys of 2020 and 2021, while only £1m was spent last winter.
He said: “It’s just a joke.
“And in every single January transfer window, we’ve needed bodies, but the club have come out and said, ‘we don’t do business in January’. Well, do the right business in the summer months, then – and then there will not be any problems in January.
“But there are always problems in January because you don’t do the business correctly in the summer.
“So leave yourself some money. Plan ahead, prepare. But they don’t do that, it’s the same thing every single window.”
TIF Thoughts on January and Leeds…
With the club previously unwilling to spend in the winter market, it certainly wouldn’t be a shock if no incomings were to arrive next month. However, if they wait until next summer to bring anyone in, the board may be signing players for a Championship club instead of a Premier League outfit.
However, at least plenty of names are currently being linked with the club. Indeed, according to the Daily Mail, Basel centre-forward Dan Ndoye ‘has been discussed’, while Philadelphia Union left-back Kai Wagner has been labelled as a ‘plausible‘ January target.
Still, there is no guarantee that any of these reports are fully accurate and the club might not be close to sorting a deal for either player – even if Leeds’ interest is genuine.
Only time will tell, but the club may well be wise to break old habits and finally spend in the January market this time around.
Will Leeds buy anyone this winter?
Yes
No
