Two additions were always the hope for Leeds United coming into January’s transfer window and yet there is now a clear need for one more. A striker and a left-back were the obvious gaps in last summer’s recruitment drive from Victor Orta, so fulfilling those requirements was a prerequisite for January.
Max Wober is in at left-back, while Georginio Rutter appears to be edging closer as their nominated forward option. Leeds need a midfielder too. Mateusz Klich’s exit and Jesse Marsch’s new formation have made it an essential part of this month.
The 32-year-old may have made 14 appearances for the Whites this season, but none of them were starts and he ended up playing just 82 minutes more than Daniel James. James has not been seen since September 1.
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It was abundantly clear why the Pole wanted to move on and needed to move on for the sake of his career, but it does leave Leeds short. While he was used as a central attacking midfielder in Marsch’s 4-2-3-1, Klich was a vital option who could be used in the new 4-3-3 the head coach favours.
Tyler Adams and Marc Roca have barely missed a beat all season in the original double pivot, but the need for a third man alongside them will ask far sterner questions of Marsch’s squad depth. Adam Forshaw was in danger of playing himself into some form at long last until his hip needed to go under the knife once again last week.
As useful as he is when fit, Forshaw is yet to prove Marsch can rely on him to start 85 to 90 per cent of the remaining matches this season. Sam Greenwood is better than adequate, on his day, to play in the centre of a Premier League game, but he will encounter the inconsistency most 20-year-olds deal with.
Darko Gyabi, impressive against Championship Cardiff City on Sunday, is even younger at 18 and cannot be expected to play frequently in the top flight yet. Beyond that quintet, Marsch is left crafting makeshift options from the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Brenden Aaronson and Jack Harrison.
Aaronson has arguably the best potential of that trio in a deeper, more disciplined role, but ultimately they are attacking, flair players Leeds need to see making an impact in the final third. Summerville, for example, cannot afford to be bogged down, between the centre circle and the penalty box, in a heap with the likes of John McGinn when the Whites are breaking on the opposition goal.
Summerville and Harrison have also dealt with their own recent injury issues while Aaronson is trying to find a way out of the lowest point of his season. Marsch needs other reliable, experienced, robust faces he can stick into that midfield three.
The head coach's switch to a 4-3-3 and Klich's exit need to be messages heard loud and clear in the boardroom.
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