OPINION
Leeds suffered a crushing last-gasp disappointment in the January transfer window, losing out on a deal for Swansea winger Daniel James despite the 21-year-old completing his medical.
It leaves them short after Samu Saiz left the club before Christmas to return to Spain.
With the transfer window closed until the summer now, this severely limits Leeds options but it doesn’t rule them out of making a new signing.
Leeds can still bring in free agents and there is a versatile player, with bags of experience, who could come in and do a brilliant short-term job.
33-year-old midfielder Yohan Cabaye can play as an attacking midfielder, or back in a more central role, and comes with experience at the very highest level.
229 games in Ligue 1, 175 games in the Premier League, he’s also played 23 times in the Europa League and 17 times in the Champions League.
He’s also won 48 caps for France, scoring four goals for his country.
Newcastle sold him for £22.5million to PSG in 2014 and he’s played for Crystal Palace since.
He’s been a free agent for two weeks since he left Al-Nasr in January and Victor Orta should try and convince Marcelo Bielsa that he could come in and help his side reach the Premier league.
Leeds were reportedly going to pay a £2m loan fee for Daniel James, which works out at around £117k a game.
Cabaye wouldn’t cost anywhere near that much and Leeds could then sign James for a lower fee in the summer once they’ve won promotion to the Premier League.
It’s plan that could banish any disappointment felt by Leeds fans over the past 24 hours.