Leeds United's winter transfer activity was minimal last month, with no senior additions and a solitary new face for the U23 squad.
Mateo Joseph's arrival came at the beginning of the month, in similar fashion to the acquisitions of Pascal Struijk and Ian Poveda who were both signed initially for the development squad during the January window.
While it will be some time before Joseph is in contention to appear for the first-team, his signing is in line with other U23 additions orchestrated by Victor Orta's recruitment department.
The Spaniard has been Leeds United's Director of Football since 2017 and has presided over several successful U23 transfers.
Marcelo Bielsa recently commended the Leeds executive for his work in identifying and persuading promising youngsters such as Lewis Bate and Leo Hjelde to leave the likes of Chelsea and Celtic to further their careers at Elland Road.
Former Leeds United employee Jakub Bokiej is currently an academy scout with Manchester City, and has made an interesting claim about Orta.
Speaking to TVP Sport, Bokiej stated he had recently caught up with the Leeds Director of Football: "We still have quite good relations today. It is also an interesting story. We haven't seen each other for three or four years since I left, and we met in the car park half a year ago.
"He gave me his business card and asked that if I had a player who did not make it to City, I should send it to him."
Poaching young players who have perhaps slipped through the net at top clubs is a ploy Orta has used before, and to good effect with Leeds.
Pascal Struijk came through at AFC Ajax; Poveda with Manchester City, Bate at Chelsea and Hjelde at Celtic. The club have been proactive in offering young players an alternative career path with Leeds.
Bokiej's suggestion tallies with scouting assignments previously conducted by Orta and his team, but also highlights the importance of having a diverse contact book in that particular industry.
Whether Leeds United target any Manchester City cast-offs this summer remains to be seen, but Bokiej's comments will appear particularly prescient if Leeds do lure a former City youngster to follow Poveda's route to Elland Road.
