Vying for promotion, Leeds United have found their feet under Daniel Farke and are now serious promotion contenders. Those at Elland Road may have been concerned at the beginning of the Championship season, with the Whites struggling for consistency.
Now on the verge of the always busy festive period of fixtures, any worries have been eased, as Leeds sit as high as third and eight points adrift of Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the automatic promotion places. On the pitch, they’ve found their form to coincide with the stability they’ve found away from Elland Road, with news emerging that one off-field member is set to stay until the end of next summer’s transfer window.
Leeds United news
The Yorkshire club did well in the summer to replace the likes of Rodrigo and Tyler Adams, welcoming players such as Joel Piroe and Ethan Ampadu, who have both enjoyed good starts to life at Elland Road. Relegated from the Premier League and bidding farewell to a number of names, Leeds could have so easily capitulated. That’s been anything but the case, however, and whilst they’d love to be in the automatic promotion places, their start has left them on course for a place near the top.
What could be crucial if they earn promotion to the Premier League is the transfer window, making one man’s stay all the more important. According to reliable reporter Phil Hay, Nick Hammond is set to remain Leeds United’s recruitment consultant until after next summer’s transfer window. Hammond initially arrived on a short-term deal in June, but an agreement has now been reached for him to stay at Elland Road for the next two transfer windows.
He will hope that the next two can be as successful as the last, which could see the Whites make the step into the Championship’s promotion places.
Nick Hammond at Leeds
So far, Hammond has done an impressive job, seemingly making his extended stay a wise decision by those at Leeds. The recruitment consultant has seen the likes of Piroe and Ampadu come through the door and may even be responsible for some vital additions come the January transfer window. If he is to leave after next summer, Hammond will hope to depart with an impressive list of additions for Farke and co, especially if they earn promotion to the Premier League this season.
We’ve seen how beneficial the January transfer window can be for several clubs in the past and Leeds could join that list. It remains to be seen just who they will target and where in their squad they’ll look to strengthen, but it could be vital nonetheless, as they look to catch Ipswich and Leicester.
First, they’ll be turning their attention towards Rotherham, however, where they can ensure the perfect return from the international break and extend their winning run to four league games. By the end of the Championship weekend, Leeds could be just five points adrift of the top two ahead of a crucial, and busy, festive period of fixtures in England’s second tier.
