Leeds United transfer latest: David Brooks door ajar, blow in West Ham pursuit, competition for Burnley deal | OneFootball

Highlights

Leeds United could be facing a potentially busy end to January, with Djed Spence and Luke Ayling's departures highlighting that the priority must now shift to incomings.

The Whites are among the favourites for promotion this season and are in the mix again in what is their first second tier campaign in over three years. It sees them sitting fourth in the Championship with Daniel Farke at the helm.

It was an incredibly busy summer for the club in terms of departures and recruiting replacements, with many in Leeds' squad keen to continue their careers in the top-flight, and others needing to be moved on to help trim the wage bill at Elland Road.

Signings have to be on the agenda again for Farke and the club's hierarchy with just a week left in the window, and they will be well aware that matters on the pitch during the second half of the campaign could be dictated by what is to come in the market.

The race for promotion has heated up considerably for Farke's side after a flawless start to 2024, recording four league wins in a row and five in all competitions, which has closed the gap to the other sides in the mix.

With that in mind, here we look at some of the latest transfer news and biggest headlines coming out of Elland Road in the meantime.

David Brooks transfer latest

AFC Bournemouth winger David Brooks has revealed that he is open to a move away from the Vitality Stadium before the end of the month if his current manager Andoni Iraola isn't going to guarantee him much game time, speaking to the BBC.

He told talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook: "The first part is what the player wants and then a lot of things have to happen. The club has to find a replacement, the financial numbers have to work for everyone. We'll see what happens. The market is open for one more week."

Brooks has revealed that he is keen to remain at his current club, but would be open to a switch away if he isn't going to win much game time between now and the end of the season. He said: "I just want to play first team football. I've had a lot of time on the sidelines and I don't want to continue there.

"I'd love to continue my football here but it's up to everyone what they think the best situation is.

"I'd rather be playing here but if he [Andoni Iraola] thinks there isn't guaranteed football for me here I'll try and explore opportunities elsewhere."

Leeds and Southampton have been linked with the winger, who scored and assisted two goals in the FA Cup demolition of Swansea City last night.

Ben Johnson updates emerge

Ben Johnson won't be leaving West Ham United this month, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, who revealed this information to Leeds United News.

Football Transfers reported earlier this week that both Leeds United and Millwall had made approaches to try and secure a deal for the full-back, but that potential move doesn't look set to materialise now.

And, according to a recent report from Roshane Thomas in The Athletic, Johnson is willing to run down his contract with West Ham and is keen to remain in the Premier League.

That will make him a free agent in the summer unless the Hammers agree to fresh terms in the coming months.

As well as Brooks, Leeds are said to be continuing in their push to sign Burnley winger Manuel Benson.

Benson has struggled for minutes at Burnley this season and with a host of Championship clubs circling for his signature, any battle is looking like it will hot up in the coming week.

Southampton and Hull were the two clubs heavily linked with a move at the start of the transfer window, but, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Leeds are pushing hard to complete a deal for Benson, with a new round of talks happening over the last few days.

However, the West Yorkshire outfit could face a fresh battle, as according to GiveMeSport, both Birmingham City and Ipswich Town are interested in a deal for the Burnley man.