Leeds United chief responds to striker transfer question on nuanced January window decision
Daniel Farke has not ruled out the idea of signing another striker after Leeds United's first transfer business of the January window.
Facundo Buonanotte cut short his season-long loan at Chelsea after barely featuring for the Club World Cup champions and was sent immediately to Elland Road by parent club Brighton. Buonanotte will spend the second half of the season with the Whites, having all-but agreed a move in the summer only to change his mind at the last minute when Chelsea made an offer that boasted Champions League football. Those events were addressed by Leeds and the player from the outset of their latest talks, after the Whites once again set their sights on him around Christmas time.
Farke spoke to the press to preview the weekend's game with Fulham and while he refused to address the Buonanotte situation until it was completed, he was asked other transfer-related questions. One of which was whether he would like to get another centre forward or if he would consider that greedy given the options at his disposal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has made the number 9 spot his own with his goals and performances this season, while Farke has turked to Lukas Nmecha as both a partner and a replacement for the first choice striker. Last season's Championship Golden Boot winner Joel Piroe has struggled for game time in the Premier League but remains an option off the bench, and winger Noah Okafor has taken the second striker role on occasion to partner Calvert-Lewin. Harry Gray, still 17, was sent out on loan to Rotherham United this week leaving the senior group one striker light though he has not made it into a matchday squad beyond one solitary game at Wolves.
Calvert-Lewin’s importance to the side in terms of his ability as a targetman cannot be overstated and though he and the club have managed to keep him in good shape this season, the possibility of him being unavailable raises a question over Leeds’ depth in the position. Nmecha has not been able to replicate Calvert-Lewin’s hold-up play to the same level when employed in the lone striker role.
Farke believes the decision on how many strikers to have is a nuanced one, but would clearly not say no to the idea of another quality centre forward.
"Well, if I tell you a secret, I'm always greedy and can't get enough points and quality players," he said. "I'm never, never scared of quality. It's just important to make the right decisions, what is healthy and good for the group. So I'm never afraid of quality, and also numbers of quality. You need competition. On the other hand, you have to make sure that the group is not too big and the players who are there also feel trusted and backed, because sometimes it could be also the case that too many options are then not beneficial for the team spirit and also for the self confidence of the players. If you always got the feeling 'okay if I don't deliver in one game, and then I have to wait for eight weeks on the bench,' it could also sometimes be a burden on the shoulders of the players. For that, we have to make good decisions on what we do with the squad. But I would never rule out a quality signing. That's also for sure."
The German also said in his press conference that while there was always room for one, two or three positions to be strengthened, he did not want a major overhaul of a squad that has competed so well in the Premier League thus far and did not want a bloated squad. Club chiefs went into the window with the idea of adding one or two, but insisting they were out to avoid any transfers that would be regretted come the end of the season and keeping the Profitability and Sustainability position in mind.
With Buonanotte's arrival confirmed, Leeds are expected to stay alert for possibilities to strengthen in one or two other positions and centre forward is understood to be one of those.