Leeds United are keen to bring in quality this month and are lining up an upgrade in a problem position at Elland Road, according to a report.
Leeds need to replace Djed Spence
Djed Spence joined Leeds United on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and much was expected of the England Under-21 cap due to his previous pedigree in the Championship, which saw him play a vital role in Nottingham Forest’s 2021/22 promotion campaign and poke fun at former boss Neil Warnock with this famous tweet.
Nevertheless, the 23-year-old struggled to settle into Daniel Farke’s plans at Elland Road in a spell plagued by injury and has now returned to north London after the Whites activated his recall clause. Now close to joining Genoa on a similar basis, the focus in Yorkshire will now turn towards finding his replacement.
Full-back depth within Farke’s squad has taken another dip in numbers after news from The Telegraph broke indicating that Whites veteran Luke Ayling will join Middlesbrough on loan for the remainder of the campaign. Burnley defender Connor Roberts has emerged as a target to help fill the available slot on the right-hand side of defence and could offer a wealth of experience if he were to arrive this month.
Speaking to Football League World, pundit Carlton Palmer has suggested that Roberts would be a “shrewd” bit of business by Leeds United, as he stated: “Connor would be a shrewd signing for Leeds, and his pals Ampadu and Rodon from the Welsh squad should help him hit the ground running. This would be a very, very good addition for Leeds United.”
Now, one reporter has delivered a further update on market activity at Elland Road this window and where Leeds United could look to strengthen.
Leeds eye Byram upgrade…
According to Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke, Leeds United are keen to bring in a new left-back this window and will look to upgrade on Sam Byram, who is naturally a right-sided defender.
Sam Byram key statistics in 2023/24 – Championship (Sofascore) | |
Balls recovered per game | 4.4 |
Clearances per game | 2.0 |
Tackles per game | 1.8 |
Interceptions per game | 1.4 |
Clean sheets | 4 |
Average match rating | 7.21/10 |
The 30-year-old has spent more or less the entire campaign on the left-hand side of Farke’s backline. At the same time, Junior Firpo remains on the books at Elland Road, though he has struggled with injury concerns for much of the season.
Labelled “powerful” by journalist Alan Biggs, Byram has been a fantastic addition, considering he arrived for free in the summer and has made 21 appearances across all competitions this campaign, registering one goal and a solitary assist in the process (Byram statistics – Transfermarkt).
Byram will be a vital part of Leeds United’s plans in the coming weeks and months; however, recruiting a natural to add competition in the left-back role should definitely be a priority at the club before the window closes.
