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Leeds United have to make January transfer return in renewed hope with Daniel Farke trump card

-Credit:Inaki Esnaola/Getty Images
-Credit:Inaki Esnaola/Getty Images


A quiet January is what Daniel Farke wants, but the Leeds United manager knows all too well that anything can happen during the madness of a transfer window. The German was asked directly if he could definitively rule out a marquee signing next month and he could not do that.

As has been the case since he took charge last year, Farke and Leeds will stay awake during the month and react to the possibilities which open up to them. History would suggest the month does play out as quietly as the 48-year-old desires, but if the right opportunity arises, they have to act.

When Angus Kinnear told The Square Ball podcast Emi Buendia was a realistic transfer target during the summer window, eyebrows were raised. The Argentine turns 28 on Christmas Day and has nothing left to prove in the Championship after two titles under Farke with Norwich City.

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Why would he want to drop back into the second tier? Kinnear said Leeds had been given reason to believe, via various sources, Gustavo Hamer may be attainable at Sheffield United, especially during Bramall Lane’s ownership turmoil, but this notion was quickly squashed by Chris Wilder and co.

If similar noises and encouragement were reaching Elland Road for Buendia and James McAtee, another target mentioned by Kinnear, then it would explain why the chief executive included them on his shortlist. Kinnear said Aston Villa didn’t want to lose Buendia and the player did not want to return to the Championship.

Do 43 Premier League minutes since that Kinnear interview soften those stances? The playmaker has got off the bench in seven of Villa’s 16 league games, but with little time to ever make an impression or sharpen his condition.

The EFL Cup was killed off as a route to minutes with their fourth-round exit to Crystal Palace. The Champions League has, predictably, also seen Buendia used sparingly.

Morgan Rogers, by contrast, has started every Villa game apart from the two EFL Cup ties. He is Unai Emery’s first choice number 10. The Spanish boss did acknowledge that dynamic at the start of December.

"Morgan, his qualities are very important for us," he said. "He can play left side, a number 10 inside. Of course, after [Jacob] Ramsey’s injury, we need to add some players performing in the same way like Ramsey and Morgan.

"The next one is Emi Buendia. He is progressively getting better after being out for a long time injured. He is working every day. The process he is doing, he is close to being completely comfortable to play in everything.

"In case Morgan Rogers is getting or needing some change [rest], we have to try and use Emi Buendia and try to get from him the performances we need. We are trying it in the training sessions and we are giving him minutes in matches.

"We have ways to try and replace him [Rogers], but at the moment he can feel tired, but he has to rest and he has to sleep very well. He has to eat good food and he has to be ready."

Emery is making all the right noises, but seven appearances out of a possible 16 with a total of 43 minutes is not the sign of a player the Spaniard feels he can trust. Noises from the West Midlands still seem to suggest a January loan would be unlikely, especially if Villa do not get someone in themselves, but this is a player Leeds should keep an eye on.

Farke’s relationship with Buendia and proven track record with getting the best from him is the ace Leeds can play, but it would be some coup if it materialised. Stay awake and hope the stars align.