Business has started briskly for Leeds United and put the Whites right where they want to be as they wait for the next phase of the transfer window to kick in. Victor Orta can be quietly confident with the state of play at Elland Road as he waits to see what becomes of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips.
With a right-back, defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder through the door, Orta remains keen on finding a striker to compete with Patrick Bamford. Beyond that, it is understood there is not much appetite beyond replacing the star duo if and when they go.
The replacement plan for Raphinha and Phillips does not necessarily mean two out and two in. With the quantity of money expected to come in for that pair, Orta may well see fit to spread that budget into quality across more than two faces.
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As it stands, there seem to be no plans for a new left-back. That leaves Junior Firpo as the only, currently, fit, senior, natural option in that department for the opening day of the season.
Stuart Dallas is likely to be out until 2023, while Pascal Struijk and Leo Hjelde are adequate short-term fixes, but seem better suited to futures at centre-half. Liam McCarron played there a lot for the under-23s, but looks a long way short of the experience needed if Firpo is injured or suspended.
That’s the main issue with this lack of depth on the left flank too. Firpo, aside from a challenging time in play last season, has also struggled for availability with injuries and walked the tightrope on yellow cards too.
Nobody collected more cautions in the top flight than Firpo (11) last season. Jesse Marsch has gravitated towards narrower systems in his short time with the Whites, which have placed further emphasis on quality options providing width from full-back.
Leif Davis is the unknown factor in this left-back debate. Now 22, injuries did not help him make an impact at newly-promoted Bournemouth and there remains question marks about him.
He has always performed well in a Leeds shirt at first-team or under-23 level with Marcelo Bielsa. LeedsLive understands he made a good impression in training at Thorp Arch after his return from Dorset in the short spell he had to catch Marsch’s eye.
Pre-season will give us our first clues as to how Marsch intends to set up and who he intends to rely on, but it looks a risk, as it stands, for Leeds to go with what they have at left-back.
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