The "January" Transfer Window 20/21 season

[andrewjohnsmith]

Palace apparently have had a bid rejected for Eze.

QPR holding out for at least £16mil.

Id offer them that today, class act Eze.

Eze for £16mil, Almada for 18mil. Go go go

Palace might come back with more. They're probably anticipating losing Zaha which should give them money to spend

[Fridge]

Palace apparently have had a bid rejected for Eze.

QPR holding out for at least £16mil.

Id offer them that today, class act Eze.

Eze for £16mil, Almada for 18mil. Go go go

I’d bite their hand off at £16m

[lufc1304]

As would I. Inflated for a guy who hasn't kicked a ball in the Prem, but it seems to be the going rate for British players. Looks the business, that lad.

[gessa]

West Ham are favourites apparently

[The Subhuman]

Not surprising, I'd imagine the big teams then stay in London would be Eze's preference. We'd be a fair way down his list unless we over pay. Bielsa would be a marmite manager, lots of players would like to come and play for him but I would think a lot more would pass given his reputation as a tough taskmaster. The incidents of PJ, JKA and to a lesser extent N'ketiah may put some off.

Basically you could be frozen out in quick time.

[talkshowhost]

Try not to get excited about anyone we are linked with.

I believe that recent experience suggests that there is a repetitive pattern to each and every transfer window. Specifically, the local and National Press, Phil excluded, link us with anybody who has ever laced up a pair of football boots and/or costs more than we are usually accustomed to spending, Many of us, though acutely conscious of this procedural, nevertheless allow our blood to race to vital organs and are upstanding when screaming "Yeesssss - Get in!" at the wife/dog/cat - whilst serving up yet another drunken rendition of MOT.

Sadly, trying to predict who Leeds are really interested in is like trying to second guess the direction of Boris's next Covid update. We commonly end up signing someone (usually on loan) whom we have never heard of but who comes highly recommended, can be seen playing like a demon on YouTube, and often sports the requisite lack of fitness, a nagging injury or both. In adopting this practice, we have delivered an absolute gem in Ben - several, "who was that guy we signed last year that we loaned out/sold to..." and a few "done OK's - can he now step up?"

As others have suggested, we must adhere our trust to Bielsa's much discussed shopping list IMO - whilst hoping that Orta has learned his lesson before agreeing astronomical championship outlays on guys that are either unproven, as fit as Andy Capp and/or clearly not wanted by his Coach.

We can only hope that the next few weeks are more Ben White than Jean-Kevin. Whilst embracing the notion that to finish 17th on our initial return (disappointing in my book) will represent a job done to many - I do not even think about the teams in the top 6. They are from another division. But the West Hams, the Evertons, the Aston Villas and even the Brightons will be recruiting. We will surely be doing likewise. I cannot agree that all we are currently lacking is a new number 10.

[Cjay]

Dutch media are linking us with Argentinian Cb Marcos Senesi. Plays for Feyenoord and would cost £18mil.

Personally dont want Ollie Watkins, 1 great season in the Championship.

Looking at the list of Championship top scorers, not one of them went on to be great Prem strikers.

Decent, Ricky Lambert, Chris Wood, Glenn Murray, Pukki.

But a hell of a lot went on to do very little.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Billy Sharp, McCormack, Darryl Murphy, Andre Gray.

Would be happy with Benrahma, will know if thats got legs in not to many hours.

But id stay clear of Watkins, also he has a tendency to fall over (as does Benrahma).

[Fridge]

Many sources reporting that Palace have had a bid of £12m for Eze. QPR are holding out for closer to £15m apparently.

At that price, I’m not sure why we wouldn’t be going in for him. Looks top quality

[Cjay]

Beren Cross did one of his chat things.

Lots of stuff in it but same as the last time when he dismissed the Almada stuff.

The club like Eze but arent actively chasing him, no bid and no indication they will either.

Got a horrible feeling we are going to bank on Watkins and Benrahma and end up being priced out of both.

Eze and Almada both cheaper then Benrahma to.

And Odsonne Edouard (who looks class) is a no go according to a few Journalists today, to expensive for us i assume.

[Fridge]

Beren Cross did one of his chat things.

Lots of stuff in it but same as the last time when he dismissed the Almada stuff.

The club like Eze but arent actively chasing him, no bid and no indication they will either.

Got a horrible feeling we are going to bank on Watkins and Benrahma and end up being priced out of both.

Eze and Almada both cheaper then Benrahma to.

This window is getting increasingly nervy. I know it’s a couple of months until the window closes, but we desperately need(ed) to get business done early.

Realistically we are in for a relegation battle next season unless something changes with our recruitment policy. Obscure signings for cheap fees (see Ekuban, Cibicki, Grot, Bouy, Wiedwald etc.) and cheap young players who haven’t cut it elsewhere (see Pennington, Izzy Brown, Lewis Baker, Borthwick Jackson etc.) have failed us. Perhaps we should be spending a little bit of money on players who are actually good, rather than cheap gambles (or expensive gambles in the case of JKA)

Our current squad might keep us up but it’s going to be difficult, bordering on impossible.

[Peter in Blackpool]

thats terribly negative. We are better than fulham and west brom. surely we can get above the likes of villa and others

[Fridge]

thats terribly negative. We are better than fulham and west brom. surely we can get above the likes of villa and others

You’re right, it does sound terribly negative.

As it stands, we are much better than West Brom, Fulham and Villa. I have a feeling that we will finish ahead of Fulham regardless but if Villa and West Brom (and the likes of West Ham, Brighton, Southampton etc. etc.) strengthen and we don’t, we may just be in trouble.

For the record, I think we will make a couple of signings and in the end will probably be ok.

We know that Bielsa doesn’t start new signings as soon as they come into the club, even if already fit. He makes them train for a couple of months before he trusts them within the system. If we wait until October to do our business, then we’re looking at November at the earliest before they get into the team - and we need to hit the ground running from day 1.

I do sound negative and should probably worry less but I think a lot of people underestimate the step up in quality in the Premier League. Bamford needs 6 or 7 good chances to score, and chances are going to be harder to come by. Not to mention our most threatening player is turning 36 next year and has already had his game time managed this season in the Championship.

[SG90]

Senesi would be a good signing, but why are these price tags so huge? £50m for Brentford players? Are there no bargains anymore?

[Cjay]

Imo where players like Benrahma and Eze are concerned we are at a disadvantage.

Both settled in London.

All the clubs in London are established Premier league clubs with the financial clout that comes with that.

Fulham have the Khan's who are a fabulously wealthy family who have already shown they will fund huge spending sprees so they have that to go with the location.

Further north are Villa who have been a Premier league club for a year and have some of the richest owners in the country..

Its harder to get players to move North.

The Manchester clubs can do it because they have the finances and prestige.

But we dont have the money or wealthy backers so we have to sell a vision, an idea, much harder to do when plenty of clubs in and closer to London can just throw wads of cash at it.

The romantic in you hopes that the draw of LUFC and being part of our 1st Premier league side in over a decade and being managed by a legendary figure will be enough.

But to players in their mid 20s early 20s is that really going to convince them to move 100s of miles away from where they know when they can earn more elsewhere and be closer or even stay home?

Money talks in football, location matters, we are at a disadvantage in both cases sadly.

[WhiteRose]

Cant see us in a relegation battle we have the team spirit,belief and manager to pick up enough results over the season to get us mid table. We might lack the individuals of some teams but you could say that about this season.

Signings wise I'm not expecting to see many, bielsa won't want many in and we all know our transfer people often get fixated on one or two players they take an age to try and sign and fail before the window closes, I just hope they have learnt this time and know when to walk away and pursue other options rather than making daft last minute signings - like I said before they are also probably waiting on the jka situation to be sorted either way.

[SG90]

This is where Bielsa not giving the youngsters a chance becomes an issue. How much could we save if Poveda, Shack, Davis, Casey and Struijk had received more chances?

[Fridge]

Its harder to get players to move North.

Never thought of it like this but I bet this is a huge factor.

Luckily, Bielsa should be able to attract quality players to sign for Leeds. Also, a player who would turn down the money/lifestyle in London to come and play under a more exciting manager has the exact attitude we are looking for.

[Cjay]

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... em-2934257

Interesting read this.

Also interesting that players like Juan Foyth, Lucas Martinez Quarta and Thiago Almada all flag up for us.

Still hope for an Argentinian revolution.

Those 3 would cost what?

£40-50mil.

Seems better value then Benrahma, Watkins and White who would be what.

£70mil plus.

[Cjay]

Never thought of it like this but I bet this is a huge factor.

Luckily, Bielsa should be able to attract quality players to sign for Leeds. Also, a player who would turn down the money/lifestyle in London to come and play under a more exciting manager has the exact attitude we are looking for.

An ex footballer said it before (cant remember who) maybe Gary Neville. Its harder to attract players the further North you go hence why large chequebooks have been so crucial over the years to successful Northern clubs.

Also the Covid 19 situation to think about to.

[Cjay]

Brentford deny that any release clause in Watkins contract exists.

John Percy said this and he is a reliable chap.

Brentford want over £20mil, probably £25mil at least reportedly.

That ends any interest in Watkins i hope, lets look for better value elsewhere.

Also Benrahma is the same, they want over £20mil and ideally £25mil minimum.