Leeds United are back in action in the Championship once again this evening as they prepare to welcome Norwich City to Elland Road, with the chance to move top of the league with a win.
Sheffield United’s comeback against Swansea on Tuesday night placed them at the top of the second tier, but three points for the Whites tonight would immediately put them back in first place.
Daniel Farke’s side should be high in confidence ahead of this clash with the Canaries after they beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 last time out on Sunday.
The West Yorkshire outfit could end the night level on points with Burnley, if they win their match, and only two points ahead of Sunderland if Norwich come to Elland Road and claim three points.
That illustrates how tight it is at the top of the Championship table and that is why Leeds may still be looking at their options in the January transfer window to see if they can improve the squad before the deadline.
The Whites have reportedly set their sights on attacking reinforcements as they have been linked with an interest in a forward who could become the manager’s next Emi Buendia…
Emi Buendia's magic for Farke
Leeds are reportedly battling it out with unnamed clubs from LaLga to land a loan deal for the Aston Villa attacking midfielder, as the Whites boss looks to reunite with the talented playmaker.
Farke worked with Buendia during his time at Norwich City, signing him from Getafe in the summer of 2018, and won two Championship titles in three seasons with the right-footed magician.
The German head coach lifted the second tier trophy in the 2018/19 and 2020/21 campaigns, with the Argentina international an influential figure in both of those successes due to his ability to score and create goals from an attacking midfield or wide position.
Appearances
38
39
Goals
8
15
Big chances created
7
18
Key passes per game
2.4
3.1
Assists
12
16
As you can see in the table above, Buendia played a key role in those two promotion-winning seasons by contributing with 23 goals and 28 assists combined.
The 28-year-old star has, therefore, proven that he has the quality to make a consistent impact at the top end of the pitch at Championship level, whilst working under Farke, and that is why he could be a terrific signing for Leeds this month.
If Leeds are unable to strike a deal to sign Buendia, though, due to interest from LaLiga, then the German boss could unearth his new version of the former Norwich sensation by securing a deal to sign someone else.
Leeds in the race to sign Burnley star
According to Belgian outlet Voetbal Nieuws, as relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds are one of a number of clubs lining up a move to sign Burnley attacking midfielder Mike Tresor this month.
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The report claims that the 25-year-old wizard is looking to move on from Turf Moor before the end of the January transfer window, as an outing in the FA Cup against Reading earlier this month was his only appearance of the season so far.
It states that the Clarets are also keen to part ways with the Belgian dynamo, who they signed on a permanent deal from Genk last summer after having him on loan in the Premier League last term, but it does not reveal exactly how much they are looking for in return for his services.
Voetbal Nieuws adds that Belgian sides Anderlecht and KAA Gent are also interested in a swoop for the Burnley outcast, whilst Dutch giants Ajax are among the clubs eyeing him up and are said to be Tresor’s preferred destination at this moment in time.
This suggests that this could be a difficult deal for Leeds to get over the line, given the competition for his signature and the fact he plays for a direct rival in the Championship, but it could be one that is well worth pushing for.
Tresor could arrive at Elland Road as Farke’s new version of Argentine magician Buendia. Here’s how they compare…
Why Tresor could be Farke's new Buendia
It is fair to say that Tresor has endured a difficult time in England since his initial move to Turf Moor on loan from Genk in the summer of 2023.
He only started three of his 16 appearances in the Premier League under Vincent Kompany in the 2023/24 campaign and has yet to play in the league under Scott Parker this term.
The 25-year-old gem has, therefore, not had many opportunities to truly showcase his quality in England, with just three starts, and Leeds could offer him a chance to play week-in-week-out to get back to his best on the pitch.
Tresor’s form for Genk in the 2022/23 campaign, before his move to Burnley, suggests that the potential is there for him to be a Buendia-esque talent for Farke if he can hit his stride in the final third again as an attacking midfielder or wide player.
Starts
38
Goals
8
Big chances created
22
Key passes per game
2.8
Assists
24
As you can see in the table above, the Belgian sensation, whose form was praised as being “absolutely sensational” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, provided a regular threat at the top end of the pitch, particularly as a creator.
The Leeds target has the vision and technical ability in the final third to consistently unlock opposition defences to create high-quality chances for his teammates, which could help the likes of Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph to thrive in the second half of the campaign.
He was directly involved in 32 goals in those 38 games, and that is more than Buendia was ever involved in in one season for Norwich, with 31 in the 2020/21 campaign being his best return, which speaks to his potential to make a huge impact as an attacking force.
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Therefore, Farke could unearth his new version of the Argentine ace, and forget about a swoop for the Aston Villa man, by securing a deal to sign Tresor from Burnley this month, because he has the playmaking and goalscoring tools to emerge as a star for Leeds.
