Leeds United are pushing for automatic promotion in the Championship, and there have now been claims they could look at signing a free-agent midfielder.
Leeds United’s January transfer window
The Whites left it late in the winter market to secure their only signing of the month, with right-back Connor Roberts joining on loan from Burnley. Daniel Farke arguably needed a new full-back, especially after Djed Spence’s season-long loan was terminated early and Luke Ayling left for Middlesbrough and was delighted at signing Roberts, saying:
“So we wanted to bring a specialist in. “We found one with Connor Roberts, in a perfect age, experience, we wanted to add a bit of experience. Great, great CV. Even last season he was in the Team of the Year in the Championship as a right-back.
“One hundred and eighty games on this level, 40 Premier League games, top-class character, available right now and also fully committed. I’m pretty happy with him. “So it feels a bit like half of the Welsh national team is meanwhile with us, but I also quite like the mentality, so we will prepare them properly for a play-off final against Glen Kamara’s Finland.
“Overall, a really good signing and we had to be patient with this one because we wanted to bring a proper one in and also someone who improves our group.”
Roberts arrived too late to make his debut against Bristol City and was cup-tied in the week, so he could be in line to make his debut against Rotherham United. There were more Elland Road departures last month as well, with Darko Gyabi, Ian Poveda and Sean McGurk joining Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town respectively.
Even though the window is shut, Luis Sinisterra has made his move to Bournemouth permanent, and with the free agent market always open, there have been claims of potential targets.
Leeds free agent transfer claim
Leeds Live shared a story in the last 48 hours, looking at four free agents who Farke could consider bringing to Elland Road to help Leeds continue their promising start to the calendar year. One of those was midfielder Josh Onomah, who has actually been without a club since the summer after leaving Preston North End.
“Onomah has experience both at Championship and Premier League level, most recently representing Preston North End. His career began at Tottenham Hotspur, who he represented 32 times before joining Fulham in 2019. His first goal for the Cottagers ironically arrived against Leeds in December of that year and he remained with the London club until moving to Preston in January 2023. Still only 26 years of age, Onomah could serve as a useful option in central midfield between now and the end of the campaign.”
Onomah, a former England U21 international, has made ten or more appearances in four different midfield roles, so the 26-year-old would bring plenty of versatility to his next club.
However, with Leeds having Glen Kamara, Ilia Gruev, Archie Gray and Ethan Ampadu as options in the middle of the park, you could make an argument that someone like Onomah isn’t desperately needed in Yorkshire.