Leeds United given green light to sign £10m transfer 'target' Pascal Struijk 'negative surprise'
Leeds United might need to enter the market if Pascal Struijk’s injury is serious.
Nottingham Forest coach Andy Reid admits Leeds United-linked defender Andrew Omobamidele could leave this month in search of more regular football.
Leeds are thought to have shown an interest in Omobamidele over the summer and links between the pair resurfaced this month, with the 22-year-old struggling for starts at the City Ground. Daniel Farke gave the defender his first taste of senior football at Norwich City and could be in the market for defensive reinforcements before the February 3 deadline.
Pascal Struijk will miss the next three weeks with a hamstring issue but if further scans reveal an injury to the tendon, that could look more like three months. Farke has regularly insisted club chiefs will ‘stay awake’ this month if signings are deemed necessary and a long-term injury could prove the catalyst for a move.
Sheffield United are also thought to be interested in Omobamidele, although they are yet to firm that up. It remains to be seen if Leeds will indeed move for a defender, with an anxious wait on the horizon for Struijk, but should they dip into the market then it seems their reported target could be available.
“It’s been a tough period for him, opportunities have been limited,” Reid told Off The Ball when quizzed on Omobamidele. “He needs to go play football – I’d imagine he will find something that lets him get on the football pitch. He’s somebody that I worked with at the Ireland under 18s, he’s a great lad and I think he’ll have a really good career. But he needs to play some football.”
Struijk injury latest
Leeds will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last season, when around the festive period Struijk suffered a groin injury that kept him out for the remainder of the campaign. The Dutchman has been outstanding this season but now faces a wait to see how severe the current issue is.
He joins Patrick Bamford on the sidelines but anything beyond the optimistic three-week timescale will surely push Leeds into the transfer market. Farke has echoed the club in predicting a quiet month but his one caveat has always been an injury to any key players.
"I said we would stay awake to the end of the transfer window if there's some business that could improve us and the second topic is if there's more or less a big injury to a key player,” the Whites boss said ahead of Sunday’s Championship clash against Sheffield Wednesday. “If there's an emergency case to be forced to react.
“We definitely need to assess it carefully. If it's months it's a bit tricky. I have a bit in my head last season, similar situation, similar timing, he had an injury and the diagnosis was three weeks and he didn't play another game for us. It's important we have a look at possible options in case there would be a negative surprise next week."