Leeds could consider two loan signings in January

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·11 December 2023

Leeds could consider two loan signings in January

Leeds United could add two loan signings to their squad during the 2024 winter window as transfer insider Dean Jones considers who the club could look to replace at Elland Road.

The Whites' head coach, Daniel Farke, has been tasked with securing the side’s immediate return to the Premier League during the 2023/24 season after being relegated to the Championship the previous season.

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Leeds have enjoyed a solid start to their return to the second tier and are well in the race to secure automatic promotion to the top flight as we head into the winter months. The Yorkshire outfit could utilise the January transfer market to bolster their squad as 2023 turns into 2024, helping put Farke’s side in a position to overtake the current top two.

Leeds’ return to the Championship

Leeds had initially struggled on their return to the Championship, having won the division during the 2019/20 season. However, their three-year spell in the Premier League ended after the 2022/23 campaign with a final day 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur securing their relegation to the second tier, alongside Southampton and Leicester City.

The 2023 summer transfer window brought plenty of upheaval inside Elland Road, with Farke being appointed as the man to guide the club back to the promised land after Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce failed to turn the side the previous season. Seventeen players would leave the club, whilst nine players were brought in to turn the atmosphere around.

Leeds’ summer marquee signing was the capture of Swansea City striker Joel Piroe, who could eventually cost the club up to £16m. Journalist Ben Jacobs recently told GIVEMESPORT (1st December) that the Dutchman is ‘getting acclimatised to Farke’ after receiving criticism from some of the club’s fanbase. Before Leeds’ trip to Sunderland on 12th December, the Whites sat third in the Championship, seven points behind second-placed Ipswich Town and nine behind leaders Leicester.

Dean Jones update on Leeds

Jones believes that Leeds should aim to make two loan signings in the 2024 winter transfer window if there is space. The transfer insider has hinted that one of these could replace Junior Firpo, who has been linked with a return to Real Betis. Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“If there is space for Leeds to do two loans, then it is something they should be looking to do. You probably feel that if Firpo, for example, does end up moving on, one of the best ways to replace him in that squad, for now, is to bring in a loan signing and then look at it again in the summer and see where you are. “There are a couple of spots available to bring loans in, and when you think about how well somebody like Joe Rodon’s done, that's what you have to strive for again. The loan market is a fantastic opportunity for a team in Leeds' current position. The January market is always better for loans than for permanent deals. If Leeds can get this right, they’ll be right in the promotion mix, and they can get themselves up. So, there’s probably going to be a Firpo-type replacement, and then there's always going to be the tendency to go for an attacker that can somehow add some goals into the mix.”

Leeds transfer news on Joe Gelhardt and Illan Meslier

With the 2024 winter transfer window almost upon us, Farke must consider bolstering his squad to overthrow Ipswich and Leicester at the top of the Championship. However, the former Norwich City head coach may also be forced into trimming his side before additions can be considered.

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Hull City are interested in signing Joe Gelhardt in January. The 21-year-old has also been linked with a move to Darren Moore’s Huddersfield Town; however, it’s believed Hull will hold ‘all the cards’ should the Tigers make an offer for the centre-forward. Gelhardt found limited opportunities at Elland Road during the 2023/24 campaign and could seek new pastures in January.

Meanwhile, French outlet Sport reports that Bayern Munich and Inter want to sign Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier. The 23-year-old has started every Championship fixture for the Whites during the 2023/24 season and has gained the attention of the European giants. Inter are reportedly prepared to offer Meslier an opportunity in their first-team, should they have an offer accepted by the Yorkshire outfit.

Leeds’ upcoming fixtures

After their trip to Sunderland on 12th December, Leeds welcome Coventry City to Elland Road on the 16th, hoping to close the gap on the top two. The Whites then face a titanic home clash with Ipswich on the 23rd in a fixture that could weigh heavily on Farke’s chances of automatic promotion.

Leeds close out 2023 with away trips to Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion, before hosting Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham City on New Year's Day, 2024.