Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is currently on course to seal a third promotion from the Championship in his last four seasons at that level.
The German tactician narrowly missed out on a third straight promotion at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, as his side were beaten 1-0 by Southampton in the play-off final.
His team are currently top of the Championship heading into the New Year, two points ahead of Sheffield United in second place and three points ahead of Burnley in third.
The Whites must now remain consistent and ensure that they maintain their place in the automatic promotion spots throughout the second half of the season, instead of dropping out into the play-offs as they did last term.
Farke could look to make use of the January transfer window, which officially opens for business this week, to make further additions to his squad to bolster his team’s chances of gaining promotion.
The West Yorkshire outfit have been linked with numerous players ahead of the winter market, including Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee.
Why James McAtee could be a good signing for Leeds
It was reported, in November, that Leeds are interested in a swoop to sign the England U21 international in the January transfer window, as the midfield whiz has barely been used by Pep Guardiola.
The 22-year-old gem spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Sheffield United in the Premier League and returned to The Etihad in the summer, but has failed to earn a regular spot in the City side.
He has only made three Premier League appearances for the Cityzens this season, totalling 26 minutes of action, and the Whites could offer him a temporary exit from the club in January, to go and play regular football again for the second half of the season.
McAtee has prior experience of the Championship with Sheffield United in the 2022/23 campaign, and the English dynamo’s form that term suggests that he could be an excellent addition to Farke’s squad if they can get a deal over the line for him.
The Blades won promotion from the second tier in second place that season, which also means that the midfielder has experience of getting to the Premier League from that level.
Appearances
37
Starts
21
Goals
9
Big chances created
6
Assists
3
As you can see in the table above, the left-footed wizard was not a regular starter for Sheffield United that term but did contribute with 15 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined.
This suggests that McAtee could arrive at Elland Road and provide the team with an injection of attacking quality in the second half of the campaign.
However, Farke could sign an even bigger talent than the Manchester City outcast by swooping for another one of the club’s reported transfer targets.
Leeds United's interest in Premier League playmaker
Football Insider reported earlier this month that Leeds are interested in a deal to sign Aston Villa attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia in the January transfer window.
The outlet claimed that the Whites want to bring the Argentina international to Elland Road after they failed to convince him to make the switch in the summer.
It stated that Farke and Buendia have maintained a strong relationship with each other since their time together at Norwich City, and that the German head coach would like to work with him again, despite Leeds having reservations about his lack of game time this season.
Football Insider added that Unai Emery would likely be willing to allow him to move on from Villa Park ahead of the second half of the season, as he has rarely been used throughout the current campaign.
Speaking to Football Insider, former Villa scout Mick Brown said: “He turned down the move in the summer because it was a step down. But from where he is at the moment, it would be a step up because he isn’t playing.
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“He’s got a good reputation at Aston Villa, but he’s not exactly shone there. I don’t think Unai Emery fancies him as a part of his team, so he’d be open to letting him go.”
Farke must, now, push the board to do everything that they can to get a deal over the line for Buendia in January, whether it is on loan or permanently, as he could be an even bigger talent than McAtee at Elland Road.
Why Leeds should sign Buendia over McAtee
Leeds must decide to sign the Argentine wizard over the Manchester City youngster if there is a choice between the two, for a number of reasons.
Firstly, Buendia and Farke have already worked together and won two Championship titles with Norwich, which means that he could slot straight into the team and already know the style of play and what the manager would want from him. Whereas, McAtee would need time to learn his role and adjust to the system.
That also means that the 28-year-old gem, who was described as a “game-changing” player by former boss Ruben de la Barrera, knows how to get out of the division and has crucial experience of winning the title and producing performances at the clutch end of the season.
Also, and most importantly, the Villa ace’s form at Championship level for the Canaries in his last year in the division is vastly superior to what the English star produced in his campaign with Sheffield United.
Appearances
37
39
Starts
21
39
Goals
9
15
Big chances created
6
18
Assists
3
16
Key passes per game
0.9
3.1
As you can see in the table above, Buendia delivered a sensational return of 31 goals and assists combined in 38 matches in the Championship in the 2020/21 campaign.
These statistics suggest that the right-footed wizard, who also produced eight goals and 12 assists in the 2018/19 season, could be a far better option for Leeds than McAtee, because he could provide far more as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Therefore, Buendia appears to be a much bigger talent on paper, due to his superior production in the final third from a similar attacking midfield position, and that is why the Whites should prioritise a deal for him in January.
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Farke and Buendia could, then, aim to win a third straight Championship title together in the second half of the season, and then – potentially – have another crack at avoiding relegation from the Premier League.