'Come back to bite us' - Leeds United fans agree on same concern after Graham Smyth transfer update

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Leeds United look set to finish the January transfer window exactly how they started it.

Leeds United fans have expressed their concern over the club’s perceived lack of activity during the January transfer window, following confirmation a move for Southampton’s Adam Armstrong is not on the cards.

Leeds and Championship rivals Middlesbrough were linked with ‘interest’ in Armstrong around Monday lunchtime, with the Daily Mail suggesting Southampton could allow their striker to leave. Local media effectively ruled out a move to the Riverside Stadium not long after, possibly opening the door for Daniel Farke’s side.

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But the YEP’s chief football writer Graham Smyth later poured cold water on a deadline-day move to West Yorkshire, with no deal being done for the 27-year-old. There remains an interest in his teammate Cameron Archer going into the final hours of the window, but a move currently looks difficult.

That means the likelihood at present is Leeds will fail to strengthen their squad during the January transfer window, a scenario which has caused unease among supporters while their promotion rivals invest heavily. And following news that Armstrong will not be heading north to Elland Road, plenty of fans made their feelings known on social media.

@MarkTaylor1979 wrote: “Surely we can’t be naive enough to think we are just going to walk it when all our competitors look to be majorly strengthening. Seems very high risk. Tried similar last Jan and it didn’t work. Think of the ramifications if we fail. We must go up this season.”

@DanielJ46083413 wrote: “Well let’s hope for everybody’s sake that we’ve got enough this time and don’t break down. We definitely have more strength in depth this year but it feels incredibly arrogant / risky.”

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@MikeLUFC1421 wrote: “We are in a strong position, but it’s arrogant to not strengthen and bring someone in for the run in. I’m sure there will be a backlash if Piroe gets injured next week.”

@gandalflufc wrote: “I'm not bothered at all with a 9 tbf [to be fair], it's a proper 10 we needed and that obviously ain't happening, hopefully it doesn't come back to bite us in the run in, games get way tougher now.”

@gaztop70 wrote: “This is not the season to leave anything to chance and not getting a forward in is taking a chance on Piroe staying fit until May.”

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@JayBios: “We need a backup to Aaronson imo [in my opinion]. But it's not a disaster if we sign no one. Good coverage elsewhere, and quality wise we're fine.... It's just that ‘what if’ regarding injuries that we're really worried about.”

While there is still time for things to change, Leeds look set to end the January window in virtually the same position they started it. Fortunately, they went into the mid-season window with arguably the Championship’s strongest squad and that hasn’t changed, despite a raft of incomings at Sheffield United, Burnley and Sunderland.

Farke has regularly gone on record to declare his desire for attacking reinforcements, particularly since Patrick Bamford’s New Years Day injury that has kept him out for the entirety of January. But he still boasts the league’s most potent attack without Bamford and insisted new signings would only be made if they significantly improved the group.

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