Time for window shopping as Yorkshire clubs look to manage squads

The January transfer window has opened and the first few deals have been struck but given where they stand in the footballing food chain, most Yorkshire clubs will have to leave their buying (and loaning) until late.

Even with money tight in a pandemic almost all will be looking to do some business, so what areas should they focus on?

Leeds United

The arrival of 18-year-old striker Mateo Joseph Fernandez shows Leeds are still thinking about the future but fans will be more concerned about the present.

Leeds United have already made their first January signing, Mateo Joseph Fernandez.Leeds United have already made their first January signing, Mateo Joseph Fernandez.
Leeds United have already made their first January signing, Mateo Joseph Fernandez.
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What Leeds need most is a bit of humility to acknowledge Marcelo Bielsa’s strategy of relying on an 18-man senior squad not fit for a pandemic where teams have nine-man substitutes benches.

Bielsa rightly talks about not signing players no better than those he has, but that should not be measured against the 18 but the 15 youngsters beneath, none of whom have fully won his trust yet.

With Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips out until March and Patrick Bamford back in training but disrupted by injury, even two from a left-sided centre-back, a box-to-box or more attacking midfielder allowing Adam Forshaw to sit deep (Chelsea’s Ross Barkley has been mooted), left-back cover/competition for Junior Firpo and another 
centre-forward would be a big help.

Barnsley

Could Sander Berge leave Sheffield United in this transfer window?  Picture: Simon Bellis/SportimageCould Sander Berge leave Sheffield United in this transfer window?  Picture: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Could Sander Berge leave Sheffield United in this transfer window? Picture: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

The Reds need to make amends for their failures in the summer, where they bought badly up front and failed to sign the experienced midfielder then-coach Markus Schopp told them they needed.

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The expected departure of Ben Williams to Cheltenham Town will leave them shorter at left-back/wing-back.

Former Hull City and Doncaster Rovers midfielder Herbie Kane could provide an answer, but as Barnsley have renegotiated his loan at Oxford United, will not.

Carlton Morris’s return to fitness provides a possible excuse to ignore the forward line, where Dominik Frieser has been released.

Ross Barkley of Chelsea has been linked with a move to Leeds United. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Ross Barkley of Chelsea has been linked with a move to Leeds United. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Ross Barkley of Chelsea has been linked with a move to Leeds United. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

This month’s business will send a message about how serious Barnsley’s board is about fighting relegation, or whether they are just trying to get into shape for it.

Huddersfield Town

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The squad looks far more able to withstand big injuries than last January, which is why Mipo Odubeko was sent back to West Ham United.

There is scope for upgrades and keeping the likes of Lewis O’Brien, Sorba Thomas and Levi Colwill is important, but provided they do, this can happily be a low-key window.

Huddersfield Town will be hoping to keep hold of Sorba Thomas in January. Picture: Tony JohnsonHuddersfield Town will be hoping to keep hold of Sorba Thomas in January. Picture: Tony Johnson
Huddersfield Town will be hoping to keep hold of Sorba Thomas in January. Picture: Tony Johnson

Hull City

Everything hangs on Acun Ilicali, who told Turkish television at the weekend his takeover of the club is all but done. Until it is, though, a transfer embargo is in place and owners about to sell are hardly likely to sanction business anyway.

Assuming Ilicali is right, director of football-in-waiting Tan Kesler will have to strike the balance between adding quality and Championship experience – centre-back and centre-forward could both benefit – and tinkering too much, especially with a coach who has finally found his feet this season in Grant McCann.

Middlesbrough

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Loaning Aaron Connolly from Brighton and Hove Albion on January 2 was an indication manager Chris Wilder will not be messing around.

Goalkeeper is a glaring area to strengthen but that apart he has a fair amount of quality, he just wants players better suited to his way of playing.

That will be harder now Paul Heckingbottom has taken Sheffield United back to Wilder methods.

Djed Spence has done very well on loan at Nottingham Forest but Isaiah Jones has excelled at right wing-back. On the left, either Neil Taylor must be retained or another signed.

Sheffield United

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Covid-19 postponements mean Paul Heckingbottom has only had three matches to assess his squad so far but the signs are good.

There is a cost-cutting feel to Sheffield United, and keeping Sander Berge an extra half-season has brought negligible benefit (five starts, one goal) so any decent bid is likely to be snapped up.

Goalkeeper Robin Olsen’s season-long loan has not lived up to its potential, and could be ended.

Up front is an obvious area to trim fat with Blackburn Rovers still keen on Oli Burke and on-loan teenager Daniel Jebbison a candidate to bring back to Bramall Lane.

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Sales could help fund the likes of Fleetwood Town defender James Hill but Heckingbottom is likely to be told he already has the tools to do the job, as his opening games suggest.

Doncaster Rovers

To lose 4-3 at relegation rivals Morecambe having been 3-0 up inside half-an-hour exposed all the frailties that will drag Doncaster into League Two unless addressed quickly.

The way the roof has been falling in – two 6-0 defeats already – and one point away from home all season show a lack of leadership and experience exacerbated by captain Tom Anderson’s plantar fasciitis, and by appointing a first-time manager (Gary McSheffrey) with a first-time assistant (Frank Sinclair), an academy goalkeeping coach (Steve Hernandez), and a mentor McSheffrey has chosen (Lee Carsley) with a great coaching reputation but only 17 club games’ managerial experience.

Rovers need a spine of experienced leaders who are available, cheap, willing to come and up to speed for League One fitness or they are going down. It is a big ask.

Rotherham United

It ain’t broke, so don’t fix it.

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Paul Warne’s squad looks well balanced to secure promotion and the problems lie down the road with contracts up in the summer and the challenge of finally staying in the Championship if they get there. They may have to wait.

Sheffield Wednesday

Owner Dejphon Chansiri has been back in town after being stranded in Thailand for much of the pandemic which makes signings more likely, but sackings too if manager Darren Moore does not get it right.

A left-sided centre-back is a priority – Wednesday and Everton will have to work out if it is worth the injured Lewis Gibson completing his Hillsborough loan – along with a left-back and a centre-forward alternative to Lee Gregory. Forward Rayhaan Tulloch, who Moore borrowed from West Bromwich Albion as Doncaster manager, has been linked.

Only loans and free transfers are allowed.

Bradford City

Bradford’s transfer window will also be a statement of intent, and is almost certain to be a positive one, with Dion Pereira already loaned from Luton Town. He is more of a creator, but finishing chances has been a bigger issue holding the Bantams back – proper goal-getters are needed too.

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Sign them – and all the indications are that Derek Adams, now in complete charge of transfers, will be backed – and it is all down to the manager to show he can mould new faces quickly and effectively, and perhaps play more on the front foot, especially away from home, to secure promotion after a sluggish start to the League Two campaign.

Harrogate Town

Defending has been Harrogate’s biggest failing, so hopefully the return to fitness of Rory McArdle and Will Smith means that can be addressed without transfers. Otherwise it is just about adding bits of quality, such as loaning Josh Austerfield and Brahmia Diarra from Huddersfield Town, where possible.

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