Daniel Farke answers Leeds United January transfer window question amid PSR claim
Leeds United can strengthen Daniel Farke’s squad in just three week’s time if they decide.
Daniel Farke has spoken with his Leeds United higher-ups about what can be done in January but insists the immediate focus is on getting results before the New Year.
Leeds will have an opportunity to strengthen their squad when the mid-season window opens in less than three weeks. The Whites wanted a creative right-winger/No.10 in the summer, as evidenced by their failed deadline-day pursuit of Fulham’s Harry Wilson, and despite a change of formation will at least be open to the possibility of such an arrival in January.
Managing director Robbie Evans revealed in September that Leeds were right at the limit of their maximum three-year losses as per PSR, suggesting any further spending would have led to sales either next month or in the summer, before the June 30 financial cut-off point. Farke has hinted in recent windows he would like to strengthen in January but would not be drawn on the financial aspect when quizzed ahead of Sunday's trip to Brentford.
“It’s up to the CEO to speak about finances,” Farke said. “I’m just running this part [the team] so I'm not responsible for finances. It’s always up to our owners and board to decide what we can do and what is possible. We speak about what is possible but it's not my job to speak in public about it or judge it in any way. I deal with what I've got.
“Of course I always want the best possible squad and players, and to improve players as much as possible but I don't own the club and don’t have enough money to spend millions of pounds on players myself so for that it's up to the key people in these terms to speak about it. I concentrate on what I've got.
“At least for the next four games we will definitely have this group so nothing will happen before Liverpool. So my focus for the next four games is just to maximise the outcome of this group and then we’ll see what we can do in January.”
Daniel Farke on Dominic Calvert-Lewin England call-up chances
Leeds have shown in recent weeks they don’t necessarily have to fork out a huge fee to improve Farke’s squad, with free agent strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha notching four goals each this season. The former in particular has been in stellar form, scoring in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since February 2021.
Calvert-Lewin scored 16 Premier League goals during that 2020/21 campaign and was a feature in the England squad as back-up to Harry Kane. That role remains very much up for grabs ahead of next summer’s World Cup and Farke was asked about his striker’s prospects of heading across the Atlantic.
“It’s a question for Thomas [Tuchel, England head coach], if he would ask me I would give him my honest opinion,” Farke said. “You know how much I trust and value him. He has done it before, already 11 caps. His goal record [four goals] is also quite good.
“For him it’s just important he stays fit, confident and in a good rhythm. Then it will take care of itself. If he can prove this over more weeks and months, there is no limit and for that, everything is possible.”