Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa wanted to bring in two new midfielders in the January transfer window, according to the reliable Pete O’Rourke.
The Lowdown: Midfield struggles this season
The Whites have had a season to forget overall, with disappointing performances and a spate of injuries clearly hampering their progress in the Premier League.
Kalvin Phillips’ lengthy absence has been a huge blow in the middle of the park, with Adam Forshaw also missing a chunk of action after a long-term layoff.
Leeds had the opportunity to make signings last month but they ended up bringing in no new faces for the senior side, perhaps coming as a surprise given their struggles, particularly in the middle of the park.
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The Latest: Journalist reveals Bielsa demand
Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that Bielsa actually wanted to sign a couple of midfielders in January in order to alleviate the issue.
He stated: “Bielsa wanted two midfielders, possibly one for cover for Kalvin Phillips and also a No.8, which obviously they weren’t able to do.”
They made two bids for Brenden Aaronson, so he was the No.8 target, but there were no concrete reports to identify the Phillips cover.
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The Verdict: Phillips’ return will be vital
Admittedly, Leeds’ finances may ultimately not have allowed additions to be made in January, but the decision not to strengthen the squad last month could look foolish at the end of the season should they end up back in the Championship.
A huge amount of pressure now lies on the shoulders of Phillips, who was such an influential player last season, to fill the void in midfield and produce performances to match his current standing as England’s Player of the Year.
With Forshaw, Mateusz Klich and (once back from injury) Stuart Dallas to call upon – Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk can play in midfield too if required – Leeds may have just enough to get through the rest of the campaign, but additions should be needed in summer.
RB Salzburg’s Aaronson is reportedly a primary transfer target and he could be a perfect signing to add some end product from the middle, having scored 11 goals and registered 13 assists in 53 appearances for the Austrian giants.
In other news, an injury expert has discussed a key Leeds injury update. Read more here.