Deadline Day: Leeds United, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley FC, Hull City, Huddersfield Town, Middlesbrough, Rotherham United, Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City, Harrogate Town leave it late to do transfer deals

When it comes to Christmas shopping, anniversaries and the like, men are notorious for leaving it to the last minute.

Shopping for footballers is rarely much different.

The men running almost all Yorkshire’s league clubs have business they want to do on the final day of trading. It is not always their fault – many transfers are part of a chain only the richest can bypass. Sometimes even they struggle, and Newcastle United will surely be trying their best to throw their considerable wealth around before tonight’s 11pm transfer deadline.

As the wealthiest of the region’s clubs, Leeds United have found it harder than most. Their only signing to date has been Mateo Joseph Fernandez, an 18-year-old striker signed quickly but for the future, not the present.

Raphinha has been linked with a transfer move away from Leeds United in January. Picture: Bruce RollinsonRaphinha has been linked with a transfer move away from Leeds United in January. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Raphinha has been linked with a transfer move away from Leeds United in January. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
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The size of Leeds’s squad, which coach Marcelo Bielsa likes to keep to 18 senior players, bulked out by juniors, has been badly exposed by terrible luck with injuries this season.

Relying on youngsters is good for the game and the long-term future of the club but the fact only five Premier League clubs have used fewer substitutes this season suggests Bielsa’s youthful benches have not been as strong as he would have liked.

Not using substitutes need not be a sign of weakness – Manchester City have made fewer changes than anyone bar Burnley but in their case it is because they have not needed to. Leeds have only won five of 21 matches. They need more game-changers.

Patrick Bamford’s ongoing injury problems have exposed a lack of cover up front and an extra midfielder has been on the list since a move for Michael Cuisance fell through 18 months ago but just as Leeds have rightly batted away interest in Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, so Red Bull Salzburg are reluctant to part with midfielder Brenden Aaronson, for example.

It is therefore threatening to be an unproductive window.

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Sheffield United are searching for another loan centre-back and may look again to Liverpool, who they are already borrowing Ben Davies from, hoping to sign Nat Phillips or Rhys Williams to meet their modest needs.

Barnsley and Huddersfield Town have looked fairly uninterested in January signings, but the Reds could spend the final day looking at the midfielders it has been clear for months they need, whilst the Terriers hope to tie up former Rotherham United goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and are open to upgrades elsewhere.

Middlesbrough and Hull City have been the most ambitious in this window but only the Teessiders have made much progress thanks to Hull’s transfer embargo only being lifted late last week.

Chris Wilder still hopes the departures of Marcus Browne, James Lea Siliki and Uche Ikpeazu can facilitate incomings.

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Hull have re-signed Regan Slater from Sheffield United, and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh’s arrival is imminent but on Friday Acun Ilicali was targeting four signings and no significant outgoings.

“There are a couple of options to do this or that – someone you want to bring or he doesn’t want or the club doesn’t make that easy deal so this transfer window is not easy to do,” said coach Shota Arveladze on Saturday.

Even after seven signings, Doncaster Rovers want an extra striker in their quest to avoid League One relegation, and Lee Gregory’s injury may mean Sheffield Wednesday need one too.

The only managers who can enjoy deadline day are those who go into it planning to do nothing and succeed. That would be a success for Rotherham United manager Paul Warne, although Georgie Kelly’s arrival might allow Freddie Ladapo to leave.

The rest are likely to be promising under their breath that next year they will get things done much earlier.

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