OPINION
Leeds United made only two permanent signings over the summer as an expected mass overhaul resulted predominantly in only a rash of exits.
New manager Marcelo Bielsa sanctioned a remarkable 24 departures at senior and youth-team level, including the headline £7million one of academy product Ronaldo Vieira.
Bielsa has been left with a thin squad that many have questioned, particularly given the brutal demands of a 46-match Championship campaign.
However, Doncaster Rovers manager Grant McCann appears to have some inside information as he outlined his plans to convert the half-season loan of Leeds striker Mallik Wilks into a full-season one.
On Wilks, McCann told the Yorkshire Post: “My personal opinion is he will not ever get a chance at Leeds. I think that they will strengthen again in January and they are strong up there (in attack), with the boy Tyler Roberts. It is going to be difficult for Mallik.”
The former Peterborough United boss appears to be suggesting a major United spending spree is on the cards in the winter window.
Certainly, the squad needs strengthening as the recent injuries to Patrick Bamford, Kemar Roofe, Pablo Hernandez and Gaetano Berardi has left Leeds looking stretched and led to a downturn in results, with just four points collected out of the last nine.
With Bielsa at the helm, Leeds have a manager who is the envy of the rest of the division.
He has the nous, experience and skills to oversee a promotion challenge all the way through the campaign, with or without major reinforcements in January.
Should United be ambitious and shrewd in the winter window, and plan well ahead, they could pull off a couple of blinding deals. They certainly should have money to spend, after the Vieira, Chris Wood and Charlie Taylor sales in the last two summers, as well as the San Francisco 49ers investment.
If McCann is spot on and Leeds push the boat out, their promotion rivals will be running scared.