Leeds United legend Eddie Gray has urged the club to strengthen their spine in the January transfer window by signing three new players.
Ex-Elland Road manager and player Gray identified the goalkeeper, centre-back and centre-forward positions as the ones where United are sorely lacking.
Leeds have lost seven of their last nine league matches to plummet from top of the Championship to 10th place and just four points above 17th.
Gray urged the Leeds hierarchy to stick with under-fire manager Thomas Christiansen but insisted reinforcements must be made in January if the Yorkshire giants are to be genuine promotion candidates after the summer exits of key trio Chris Wood, Kyle Bartley and Rob Green.
“You have got to look at our side last year and the strength was right down the middle of the park,” Gray told the Yorkshire Evening Post. “You lost a centre-back last year who did well for us in Bartley, your goalkeeper was first class and your centre-forward scored 30-odd goals.
“It’s very difficult to replace somebody who scored 30-odd goals – put it like that – and I thought the goalkeeper had a tremendous season. And Bartley played well too.
“That’s the spine of the team and that’s the way you have got to look at things.
“With the new boys coming in, it is a tough league.
“And I think they will realise that and they will realise what they have got to do if they are going to be successful in this league.”
OPINION
Gray watches all Leeds’ matches and knows his onions. The team flattered to deceive in the early weeks of the season when they were pitted against four of the teams now in the bottom seven. Recent games have showed the team’s inadequacies and it is clear that reinforcements are needed. Signing proven performers in goal, at centre-back and at striker would instantly rejuvenate Christiansen’s flagging side. Felix Wiedwald and Andy Lonergan have both struggled in goal, a fourth senior centre-back is needed as the current three have all been below par of late and Pierre-Michel Lasogga needs proper competition up front. The German has done okay, but has not offered the same penetration as 2016-17 star man Wood.