Leeds United reportedly rejected deadline day deal, Steven Gerrard on Whites clash preparation
Leeds United will return to Premier League action next week when they travel to Villa Park to face Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa - here are Sunday's key headlines.
Dan James explains how changing role has helped
Whites winger Dan James claims that his make-shift role as an out-and-out striker has helped his game.
Gaps in Marcelo Bielsa's squad, caused by the ongoing injury crisis at Thorp Arch, have caused the Argentine to deploy James in a number of roles since the Welshman arrived at Elland Road in August.
The 24-year-old has featured as a number nine, a number 10, an attacking midfield, as well as featuring in his preferred role as a winger.
This week, James has been speaking to BBC Radio Leeds about how playing as a number nine has influenced him.
"I think I've enjoyed it," James said.
"It's not a position I see myself playing in the long-term, but with the injuries we have and it's somewhere he [Bielsa] has seen I can play.
"It's not somewhere I have played before but I'm learning everyday and I need to learn all positions.
"I said before you can end up in any position up there at times and you've got to know what the striker or the winger is thinking.
"It has helped me a lot, especially when I play on the wing again and I now know what the No.9 thinks and what position to be in."
Steven Gerrard reveals preparation for Leeds clash
Villa boss Steven Gerrard has been using the international break to focus on improving his squad's physicality and fitness ahead of Leeds' visit to Villa Park next week.
The Premier League has been on pause while qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers are underway and, with Leeds and Villa both knocked out of the FA Cup third round, the two sides set to meet on Wednesday have had even longer than other teams to reset themselves midway through the season.
Gerrard, who only took over at the Midlands side in November, has explained how he is using the break.
"For sure, I think we can improve our fitness," Gerrard revealed to BirminghamLive.
"We have an opportunity to really reset our identity in how we want the style to look, both in and out of possession.
"We've had some really good training time so far and we don't want to see this as a holiday period where players go here, there and everywhere.
“We want to use the time, the time we never had when we arrived, so we'll use it as a mini pre-season."
Whites reject deadline day offer
Leeds United rejected an offer by West Ham United to buy Whites midfielder Kalvin Phillips on January 31.
According to the Sun, the East London side came in with a £55m bid for the England international at the eleventh hour.
Hammers vice-chairman Karren Brady is said to have contacted former colleague and United managing director Angus Kinnear in the hopes that increasing their initial £50m bid by a further 10% might persuade the board at Elland Road to part with the Whites talisman.
Leeds rejected the bid and kept hold of Phillips despite significant interest from other clubs over the course of the window.
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