Leeds are expected to go into deadline day without a left-back after failing to sign Luke Thomas from Leicester, according to Graham Smyth, because Daniel Farke is “impressed” with Junior Firpo.
Thomas signed a loan deal with Sheffield United on Thursday morning, while the Whites have since concentrated their efforts on central midfield, with Ilia Gruev’s arrival announced on Thursday and Glen Kamara scheduled for a medical.
Smyth said: “Beyond [Gruev and Kamara] there might not be a great deal else that happens. As far as we’re aware there’s no left-back on the agenda right now.
“As of yesterday morning Leeds were still monitoring Luke Thomas and hoping for a change in that, but even then we were getting the sense that if Thomas didn’t come off Leeds might just go with what they’ve got.
“Farke is said to be impressed with Junior Firpo, thinks he’ll be really good in the Championship. Sam Byram we know is a solid one.
“For me it’s a risk. You’re basically asking a pair of, recently, very injury-prone players to basically fulfil a 46-game season between them and hope to ensure any injuries they pick up are not concurrent, but of course both are currently injured.
“I think Jamie Shackleton is seen as part of the cover in that area [but] I think it would have put a lot of minds at east if they’d have got a left-back”.
Again
Leeds fell into this trap exactly a year ago, and see where it took them. Firpo was injured for most of the season while Pascal Struijk filled in, and after a brief rebirth, he had a terrible run of form late in the season that contributed to relegation to the second division.
To be honest, he was far from alone in being responsible for that, and while he should certainly do better in the Championship, relying on him in any case is a danger, especially given Byram’s is as well.
Left-back and striker were problem positions all season last term as both were neglected during the summer, then Firpo and Patrick Bamford both struggled to be available just as many had feared.
The Whites eventually solved one of those difficulties this summer when they signed Joel Piroe from Swansea, but it appears that they are taking an unnecessary risk by failing to sign a left-back as well.
Fans have been clamoring for a new specialty option for months, and while a club cannot provide everything that fans need in the market, this one has definitely been needed for a long time.
The fact that neither of the top two possibilities is now available should be enough evidence for Farke and his hierarchy, thus the fanbase will be hoping this stance changes at some time on deadline day.
