Leeds director of football Victor Orta has said that there could be money to spend in the January transfer window, but he doesn’t expect the club to do much business after strengthening in the summer.
Orta was talking to Off The Pitch during the World Football Summit in Madrid this week.
“After the summer transfer market we are really happy that I think we improved the squad, keeping the economical restrictions,” Orta said.
“This is not really easy with the politics of loans but the situation we needed to assume this summer.
“For me one of the keys of this season is about healthy. If we don’t have any injuries I think we can fight for promotion. Last season we had a lot of injuries and even arrived to the last part of the season with chances.”
The interviewer stated, ‘Orta says there may be money to spend on players in January but hopes it is not necessary to splash out too much thanks to the string of shrewd loan signings.’
18/19 injuries were a big issue
This makes a lot of sense from Orta and fits in with the philosophy of Marcelo Bielsa preferring to work with a small squad – “by the standards of most Championship coaches” according to journalist Phil Hay.
It’s always harder to improve a team with transfers in January, halfway through a season when the team has got used to playing together.
Indeed, Bielsa said ahead of last winter’s transfer window, “It will be very difficult to add new players in January”. [YEP]
Orta makes mention of the extensive injuries Leeds suffered last season and these have been documented in the Yorkshire Evening Post. At the start of April, Leeds had suffered 31 individual injuries, with players missing 165 games in total.
So far this season, things have been much better.
Luke Ayling and Tyler Roberts have just made their comebacks with the Under-23s from long-term problems and Adam Forshaw is the only other issue among senior players. He’s missed the last two games after failing a late fitness test ahead of the clash against Derby.
Leeds also have more depth in their squad, with summer loan signings Eddie Nketiah and Helder Costa still waiting for their first starts and Jack Clarke not even making the squad.
Injuries could change things but it’s a case of so far, so good this season for Leeds.