BBC Leeds United
Leeds United will be hoping to shake off the disappointment of the January transfer window, as they gear up to host Nottingham Forest on Friday night.
The Whites suffered a huge defeat to Arsenal last time out, and will be hoping to get back on track as they continue their fight for safety. Leeds managed to add Facundo Buonanotte to the team in the January window, a quality addition to the attack.
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However, it was the deal that failed that caught most of the headlines in the last few weeks. The Whites lost out on a move for Jorgen Strand Larsen after Wolves rejected their offer of a loan deal with obligation to buy.
BBC journalists gives verdict on Leeds United transfer window
The failure to sign the Norwegian striker became the most talked about topic at Elland Road over the last few days. Some fans have voiced their concerns about the 49ers failing to make huge strides in two transfer windows in a row following what they did in the summer. BBC journalist Sami Mokbel has weighed in on the January window, and what it means for the club moving forward.
“Recruitment departments at Premier League clubs can be funny beings, in that if they like a certain signing, then they will go all in on him. But if that doesn’t align with their long-term targets, I think they often don’t bother with looking elsewhere and want to stick to their long-term plan.” he said on the Don’t Go to Bed Just Yet podcast.
“And if Jorgen Strand Larsen was their only long-term target, I can kind of understand why they didn’t want to sway away from that and were only focused on staying on the path that they were on.”
Mokbel also spoke about how the failed recruitment could affect the team as the season goes on.
“Because Leeds have had a massive upsurge in fortune – Leeds’ form is good right now, aside from the defeat to Arsenal at the weekend – so I can see the benefits of financial gains of keeping your powder dry.”
“But if Leeds’ form does go south, then I think the recruitment staff and the hierarchy there have created a big problem for themselves… because I think it will just be used as a huge stick to beat them with. If the form does desert them, supporters will look at that transfer miss.”
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Daniel Farke loses the most from January failure
In all this, Daniel Farke gets the short end of the stick – after his incredible effort towards the end of last year, he is repaid with nothing. Adding some quality reinforcements to the team off the back of what happened in December was the least the 49ers could have done. The squad has holes and the depth has been thin in certain areas over the last few games. The least the 49ers could have done was strengthen those areas to help in the bid for survival; and now the ownership will have to see if their gamble pays off.