Leeds pounces on the “exceptional” striker.

Leeds United They have the opportunity to enter the market to strengthen their squad in the January transfer window, which officially opened for business last week.

The Whites are just one point ahead of Sheffield United and Burnley in second and third, meaning their place in the automatic promotion places is far from secure.

Daniel WakeLiverpool cannot continue their slide if their rivals continue to collect points, as their disappointing draw with Hull cost them two points.

The German coach, despite watching his team falter in the playoffs last season, knows what it takes to win the title race in the tournament. championshiphaving done so twice during his time with Norwich City.

Farke lifted the Second Division title in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 seasons, in the latter of which he added Demi Giannoulis as a starting left-back in the January window, suggesting he knows the value the winter addition can provide. In the title race.

However, the Leeds boss is said to be looking for attacking options to come in and strengthen his Whites squad ahead of the February deadline.

Leeds are eyeing a new striker

According to The print edition of the Daily Mail (01/06/2025), as quoted Leeds death newsThe club is interested in signing Hoffenheim striker Mergem Berisha.

The report claims the 49ers and Co. are preparing a Leeds attack to bring the centre-forward to Elland Road this month to provide him with another option in the forward areas of the pitch.

However, it does not reveal how much Hoffenheim will ask the Whites to agree to a deal for the 26-year-old, or whether they are prepared to listen to loan offers for his services.

The attacker has only just begun Three of his 11 His Bundesliga appearances so far this season, showing that he has not been a frontline option for the German side, with the striker not playing regular football, could be open to a move away from the club before the second half of the season. season.

However, it remains to be seen how feasible a deal is for Leeds in the January transfer window, as there is no mention of any potential price or Hoffenheim’s stance on the situation.

However, the West Yorkshire outfit’s interest in signing Berisha must come as bad news for one player in the current Leeds squad, as it could mean the end of Patrick Bamford’s career at Elland Road is getting closer and closer.

Why is this bad news for Patrick Bamford?

The one-time England international has really struggled to play in the tournament so far this season, With zero it starts In the division, the arrival of another striker would push them down the standings.

Joel Pirro and Mathieu Joseph shared league starts between them, with both being favored over – and often the substitute first striker on the bench when the other starts – by Farke.

Berisha’s arrival could prevent Bamford from making a squad on matchday, as having three leading players on the bench, when Leeds are playing with one in their usual lineup, would be overkill.

The English striker has He played 127 minutes Through ten reserve games in the league this season, it shows that he has already struggled for minutes without introducing a third competitor in his position.

As you can see in the table above, Bamford featured in 33 of the club’s 46 regular season matches in the Championship last season, but was unachieved in front of goal with eight goals from 9.52 xg.

The prolific striker has found himself at the bottom of the batting pile as a result of his struggles on the pitch, with Joseph and Pero firmly ahead of him in the pecking order.

It was Bamford Linked to January exit From Elland Road and signing for Berisha could seal the end of his Yorkshire career, given the position it would leave him in within the team.

Why should Leeds sign Merjim Berisha?

It is worth noting that Leeds are not in desperate need of a new number nine to come in and start every game to push the team up, although Farke would certainly love to find a 25-goal-a-season goalscorer to provide on a weekly basis. On the week out.

Piero has risen He scored ten goals He provided five assists in 16 league matches for Leeds, showing that the Dutchman posed a major threat at the top of the pitch for the German coach.

This means that the Whites can risk any attacking addition this month, and that is exactly what Berisha’s signing would be, as he has not played much in the past 18 months.

The German international suffered Anterior cruciate ligament injury This ruled him out from November 2023 to July 2024, limiting him to just 19 Bundesliga appearances since the start of last season.

However, his form in the 2022/23 season suggests that the potential is there for him to be an exciting addition to Leeds, if Farke can help him return to his best.

As you can see in the table above, Berisha, who was Hailed as ‘exceptional’ In the box by Augsburg coach Enrico Masen that season, he provided plenty of quality in the final third, both as a scorer and as a goal maker.

The 26-year-old star also produced an eye-catching hit He scored 14 goals and created 13 big chances In 24 appearances for RB Salzburg during the 2020/21 season, showing that he has been a consistent performer at the top of the pitch for several of his former clubs in the past – before his long-term injury.

For this reason, Leeds must take a risk and gamble on Berisha coming in as Bamford’s replacement, in the hope that he will return to his best and compete with Pero and Joseph for a starting place.