OPINION
Leeds United are not expected to make too many major moves in the January window.
But one outfield player deal the club must do to give their automatic promotion pursuit a huge boost is signing Southampton attacker Shane Long.
The Republic of Ireland international has slipped to fourth in the striker pecking order in Mark Hughes’ side behind Danny Ings, Charlie Austin and Manolo Gabbiadini.
According to Football Insider, Sheffield United are lining up an ambitious January swoop for the 31-year-old, who has made only five starts for the Saints this season.
Leeds should look to blow their Yorkshire and promotion rivals out of the water to land Long and offer him a late-career opportunity to work under a coach of Marcelo Bielsa’s stature.
The attacker turns 32 in January and is entering the final years of what has been a distinguished career that had yielded 82 international caps and 277 Premier League appearances.
Long is not a penalty box predator in the manner of some of his Southampton attacking teammates, but he is still blisteringly quick and a handful for elite defences.
His track record – 48 Premier League goals, 39 Championship goals and 17 for the Republic of Ireland – demands great respect and his style of play would add a new dimension to the Leeds front line.
Bielsa’s side have some quality attacking players – most notably Kemar Roofe, Pablo Hernandez, Samuel Saiz and the injured Patrick Bamford – but lack a real speedster who can destroy defences.
Leeds could storm to a top-two finish if they won the race to seal a January deal for Long.