Leeds United can target Matteo Guendouzi, Weston McKennie and Azzedine Ounahi in the January transfer window in an effort to bolster their midfield.
Jesse Marsch has already welcomed Max Wober and Georginio Rutter to his side this month, yet the American doesn't appear to be content in stopping there. Another midfielder is clearly a priority for the 49-year-old and there have been several names linked with the club recently.
Weston McKennie has now emerged as another name on the club's list of targets after a recent report from Fabrizio Romano revealed that the Serie A star could well be on his way to Elland Road. Azzedine Ounahi has been linked with the Whites for most of the transfer window with a deal as of yet failing to materialise, but he too is understood to be on Leeds' radar this week.
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With that in mind, we have taken a closer look at the three best transfer options available to the club - including a rather peculiar shout for the former Arsenal man Matteo Guendouzi.
Weston McKennie
Tyler Adams' international partner in crime. The Amiercan midfielder could become the third US international to join Leeds alongside Adams and Brenden Aaronson.
There are plenty of American influences both on and off the pitch at Elland Road and McKennie's arrival makes a lot of sense on paper. A young midfielder who is reportedly unsettled at a club that have just been handed a 15 point deduction in the league - granted Leeds may not have the same pull as Juventus, but the opportunity to be a star player in a Premier League team should not be sniffed at.
McKennie has played alongside Adams on numerous occasions in central midfield and has made it clear how much he enjoys lining up next to the Leeds man. The Juve star can also fill in at full-back when needed to - another tick in the box for Marsch.
The challenge over this deal will be convincing McKennie to let go of European football. However, offering a young star the platform to shine in the world's most-watched league next to someone he simply loves playing with could just prove a deciding factor come January 31.
Azzedine Ounahi
Another Italian club to worry about in this transfer, but this time Leeds find themselves competing alongside them for a player. Napoli are believed to be keen on signing Ounahi from Ligue 1 side Angers.
Having shone for Morocco in Qatar, one of the main stumbling blocks for Leeds will be an inflated transfer fee. The Whites have shown they are not afraid to put their money where the mouth is in the transfer window, but paying the over odds for a relatively unknown quantity is a risky bit of business.
Reports of a £20million price-tag may not seem too daunting - and should Marsch's side unearth a midfield gem in Ounahi they will be laughing - yet the winter window is a notoriously difficult time to sign players at the best of times, let alone after a major international tournament.
If Leeds can convince Angers to not use Napoli's added interest to drum up a bidding war, they can promise Ounahi far more game time than Napoli can right now. Following Mateusz Klich's departure - the club will hope that it's enough of an advantage compared to the Serie A side's proposal to tempt him to England.
Matteo Guendouzi
A curveball option for sure, but the midfielder that left Arsenal as a short-tempered petulant youngster is a thing of the past. Guendouzi has quite simply transformed at Marseille and has slowly but surely started to fulfil the potential that so many knew he had.
This transfer would have been dead in the water if it was not for Unai Emery's appointment at Aston Villa. The coach who gave the 23-year-old a chance at Arsenal has now taken over at Villa Park and there has been plenty of speculation surrounding the Spaniard's desire to reunite with his former Gunner.
Although the odds appear to be heavily stacked against Leeds for this deal, should the Frenchman be open to a return to the Premier League, there is no reason why Leeds should not throw their hat into the ring. Guendouzi has long-life batteries in him and the box-to-box midfielder can certainly give Leeds a zap of energy that they have been searching for recently.
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