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Leeds: Marcelo Bielsa didn’t want to sign a striker in January
Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa didn’t want to sign a new striker in the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.
The Lowdown: Leeds quiet in January
The Whites’ disappointing season continued at the weekend, with the 3-0 defeat away to Everton further suggesting that they are in a Premier League relegation battle.
The hope was that Leeds would make some additions in January, but instead they did not strengthen their senior ranks at all, meaning Bielsa will need to work with the squad at his disposal for the rest of 2021/22.
With Patrick Bamford suffering an injury-plagued campaign, there was some hope that a striker would come in, but that didn’t prove to be the case.
The Latest: Bielsa didn’t want a new striker
Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that Bielsa opted against the idea of bolstering his attacking options, not seeing it as a position which needed urgent improvement.
The journalist admitted: “Yeah, I was a bit surprised (that Leeds didn’t sign a striker in January). But it wasn’t by all accounts a top priority position for Marcelo Bielsa.”
The Verdict: Could look foolish in May
Should this be true, it seems an odd move from Bielsa, considering that he has only had Bamford available for six league games this season and the fact that Leeds have unsurprisingly struggled without last term’s top scorer.
This lack of firepower has been a constant issue – the Whites have scored just 27 goals in 23 league games – and it could have been helped by the addition of a fresh face in that area.
Bielsa needs Bamford back as soon as possible, or else his decision to overlook the possibility of a centre-forward signing last month could look increasingly foolish as crucial matches arrive in the coming weeks.
In other news, Leeds reportedly face a ‘major fight’ to keep hold of one player. Find out who it is here.
