Victor Orta explains likely quiet market for Leeds United in January transfer window

Leeds United director of football Victor Orta. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.

VICTOR Orta is expecting a "quiet market" for Leeds United in the January transfer window with the director of football insisting only one quarter of new year recruits are successful.

United signed triple Champions League winning goalkeeper Kiko Casilla from Real Madrid during the January 2019 window which looked set to end with the Whites adding the services of talented winger Dan James from Swansea City on transfer deadline day.

Leeds, though, who also signed talented Polish teen Mateusz Bogusz back in January, saw the move for James collapse at the last minute as former Swans chairman Huw Jenkins refused to sign off the deal.

Ten months on, Leeds are heading for the January 2020 transfer window with the club sat third in the Championship and only two points off top with the Whites reaping the rewards of their business in the summer and recruiting six players on loan.

Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Jack Harrison, Jack Clarke, Illan Meslier and Helder Costa all arrived on season-long loans with marquee recruit Costa's switch from Wolves set to be made permanent next summer in a deal worth around £15m.

Orta, though, is not anticipating a flurry of activity in the new year with the director of football cautious as to the perils of the January window as a whole.

"We made a conservative line in the summer and we will do it in the winter," said Orta, speaking in an interview with www.tuttomercatoweb.com.

"The new ones need time. In January there are few options and they have a certain type of matrix.

"We need intelligence, I can say that it will be a quiet market for Leeds.

"We have information and ideas but I believe little in the winter market.

"Only 25 per cent of winter shots are successful, it's incredible."

Orta also said he could have few complaints with United's start to the season over the first 16 games with the director of football particularly pleased with his men's defending, albeit whilst admitting his Whites need to improve their goalscoring record.

"It's a year of continuity," said Orta.

"We are defending better, we are collecting fewer goals, we have to fix it in front but it is a complicated league, lots of matches.

"We need to be ready but I can't complain about the beginning".