Leeds United ended transfer deadline day without making a signing, with their only addition of the winter window being the loan arrival of Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton.
The Whites had been keen to recruit a striker in January but ultimately opted not to enter a bidding war for top target Jorgen Strand Larsen, who completed a move to Crystal Palace in a deal worth up to £48m.
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Leeds were also linked with former Aston Villa forward Jhon Durán and made a late attempt to secure Krasnodar captain Eduard Spertsyan on loan before the deadline.
Despite those efforts, no new faces arrived on the final day of the window, a situation that has since been reflected in the latest predictions for the Premier League relegation battle.
Leeds United made a baffling £40m decision
Leeds offered a deal worth up to £40m for Strand Larsen, and backed out of the race once Crystal Palace agreed to offer more money for the Norwegian.
Supporters have reason to question why Leeds didn’t redirect the funds to other areas of the squad once it became clear that Strand Larsen would join Crystal Palace.
The Athletic’s Beren Cross has given a lowdown of the thinking behind Leeds’ decision not to sign anyone on deadline day after missing out on the striker.
Leeds’ offer for Strand Larsen was an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy in the summer. Wolves wanted money up front and decided to sell him to Palace.
The Whites still have the loan route open, but they opted against signing anyone towards the end of the winter window.
Daniel Farke had several meetings with the recruitment team, but eventually decided against having a bloated squad for the rest of the season.
The decision-makers at Leeds didn’t feel that there was a suitable target available for the club to pursue once they failed to sign Strand Larsen.
Concerns remain about the goalkeeping position, but Leeds have gambled on the current squad to get the job over the line at the end of the season.
This could haunt Leeds later in the season
The Leeds manager made it clear late in the window that he was not happy with the performances of his goalkeepers, while the lack of depth up front remains a pressing concern.
With Lukas Nmecha continuing to struggle with injuries, Leeds have effectively taken a gamble on Dominic Calvert-Lewin staying fit for the remainder of the season.
Instability between the posts is another major worry, and there is surprise that the club did not at least pursue a goalkeeper once a move for Strand Larsen failed to materialise.
As it stands, Leeds are one Calvert-Lewin injury away from a genuine crisis. Nmecha cannot be relied upon to stay fit, and Farke has shown limited trust in Joel Piroe.
The Premier League bottom six
Pos Team Played W D L GF GA GD Points
15 Crystal Palace 24 7 8 9 25 29 -4 29
16 Leeds United 24 6 8 10 31 42 -11 26
17 Nottingham Forest 24 7 5 12 24 35 -11 26
18 West Ham United 24 5 5 14 29 48 -19 20
19 Burnley 23 3 6 14 25 44 -19 15
20 Wolverhampton Wanderers 24 1 5 18 15 45 -30 8
Sebastiaan Bornauw is the only centre-back position for three positions in central defence and James Justin has picked up a fresh injury.
While Leeds have stood still, their relegation rivals have strengthened, leaving supporters hoping these late-window decisions do not come back to haunt the club at the end of the campaign.