The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 26th February) Will Leeds regret not strengthening squad during Winter window?
Good Morning. It's Wednesday 26th February, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Will Leeds regret not strengthening squad during Winter window
Leeds Utd are seriously down playing the severity of Ethan Ampadu's injury but why? We heard on Monday night that the Leeds skipper is set to undergo cartilage surgery after picking up an injury in training. Whilst the true extent of the injury is currently unknown, the minimum recovery time for any kind of cartilage surgery is four months.
From microfractures to more complex transplantations, it could take as long as eighteen months until we see Ampadu back in action as a worse case scenario. Farke's "It could be that we miss him for a few games, but he’ll need further assessment and we’ll see what happens in the next few days.” statement is ludicrous having admitted "it depends on how [the surgery] works".
Refusing to strengthen in the January transfer window could be about to bite Leeds on the ass again. They clearly don't learn by their mistakes. Injuries and fatigue played a big part in why they missed out on promotion last season, and have done the same this time around - ignoring the need for reinforcements to compensate for key injuries like Ampadu's. Lady luck has shone brightly over the Whites in recent games - we're not home and dry yet!!!
Marcus Edwards could have ended up at Leeds
Marcus Edwards' January loan move to Burnley raised eyebrows, but it appears the versatile forward could have been sporting white instead of claret. Burnley’s head of recruitment, George Foster-Vigors, has revealed in a behind-the-scenes documentary that Edwards was open to joining Leeds United during the winter transfer window.
The highly-rated forward ultimately opted for a temporary switch to Turf Moor in early February, with reports suggesting an obligation to buy should Burnley secure promotion to the Premier League. However, it seems Leeds United were firmly in the picture for Edwards' signature before he penned a deal with Scott Parker's side.
Burnley, currently sitting third in the Championship table and chasing Leeds at the top, released a short film detailing their pursuit of Edwards. In the documentary, Foster-Vigors sheds light on the competition they faced, stating that Edwards’ agent made it clear the player had other options, including a potential move to Elland Road. Foster-Vigors explained in the documentary...
The main target that we’re all trying to push for in this window is Marcus Edwards on loan from Sporting. He has got options [at the] bottom of the Premier League but he kind of doesn’t want to go to a dogfighting relegation team. He wants to come and try to be a part of something positive. He would consider Leeds, Sunderland or us, that are challenging for promotion.
This insight offers a fascinating glimpse into the transfer dynamics behind securing Edwards. It confirms that Leeds were indeed interested in bolstering their attacking options with the talented winger. For Leeds fans, knowing Edwards considered Elland Road as a viable destination might add a layer of intrigue to their promotion battle with Burnley. It’s a reminder of the calibre of player Leeds were potentially targeting and perhaps missed out on.