Leeds United boss Daniel Farke's first January transfer window words suggest patient approach

Farke's policy on any talk of transfers is by now very well known to the club's supporters. Outside of a window he is loath to even acknowledge it. And even when the window opens, he prefers not to delve into details but rather puts across his general feelings.

Previously the German has gone on record to echo the warnings of previous club decision makers when it comes to January and the difficulty in finding what you really need. The players available tend to be those who haven't played much and so need time to get up to speed, or there is some reason why their current club is happy to let them go. There is a much smaller pool of available players. And mid-season buyer's need begets seller's greed.

But that said, Leeds do intend to strengthen Farke's hand this month. He wanted at least one other attacker last summer and has referenced that desire again in reluctant responses to pre-January transfer questions. It remains to be seen whether that's the right wing/number 10 blend Leeds tried to bring in as the final piece of the summer puzzle, or a centre forward to provide cover for the now vital Dominic Calvert-Lewin, or even both. And the move to a back three raises a question about Leeds' depth at centre-back. Even if Joe Rodon is only out for three weeks, the situation shows how quickly Farke's central defensive options can become stretched.

Having gone unbeaten in six and moved seven points clear of the drop zone, Leeds have put themselves in a great position to try and secure survival this season. Where additional options once looked vital to spark an attack that found goalscoring difficult, they now look important as insurance to ensure Leeds can maintain their physical output and flexible approach.

It is considered unlikely by Elland Road sources that the club does no business, but as Farke said in his press conference to preview the Manchester United game they also don't expect to be incredibly busy in the market. ‘Shopping lists’ have been worked on in recent weeks, with the change in formation informing some of the analysis carried out by the recruitment department.

For all the names that have appeared in various reports online, club sources insist that talk is almost entirely agent-led in order to use the club's name to put players in the window. Union Berlin centre-back Danilho Doekhi, for example, is a player the recruitment team looked at but nothing more than that.

When asked what he wanted now that the window was open, Farke was typically reticent to discuss the topic but his words did reveal that nothing is imminent just yet and suggested an element of patience.

"I would like to postpone our [media] discussions to January the whatever 10th or 11th, after the FA Cup, because nothing will happen before the Man Utd game, nothing will happen before the Newcastle game. And my focus is just on these two fixtures.

“Of course, in the background, the club is preparing a little bit, and we'll see, but also honestly, I don't expect major turnaround. So this group has achieved a lot, and for that, it's not like 10 players will leave us with 10 new incomings. And yeah, we'll stick with our group. If we find some solution where we can improve this group, then yes, but nothing to speak about yet, and right now, just full focus on Man Utd, on Newcastle, and then around the FA Cup game."