Journalist reveals Leeds’ strategy to address growing midfield crisis

Leeds United’s midfield has been hit hard by injuries, with Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev sidelined. As a result, there’s been speculation as to whether the Whites would pursue a free agent to compensate for the thinning midfield group.

Despite the injuries one journalist reports that Leeds intend to standstill and wait until the January window to address the midfield concerns.

Ampadu is expected to miss the rest of the year, with reports suggesting a return in early 2025. The Yorkshire side dodged a significant setback, as Ampadu’s injury turned out to be to his lateral collateral ligament (LCL) rather than the more severe anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which could have sidelined him for the entire 2024-25 season.

Leeds will need to cope without their captain for the time being, and Ao Tanaka stepped in, making his first start for the club in last Tuesday’s match against Norwich City.

However, the 1-1 draw came with more bad news as Gruev was forced to leave early due to a knee injury. There’s no timeline for his return, which is a blow for Leeds, who were likely hoping a Gruev-Tanaka partnership could help cover Ampadu’s absence.

Ben Jacobs weighs in on Leeds’ midfield crisis

Journalist Ben Jacobs, speaking with Give Me Sport, suggested that Leeds might be tempted to bring in a new midfielder during the January transfer window to cover for Ampadu’s absence. However, it seems they’re planning to stay patient and evaluate their options carefully before making any decisions.

“I’m not aware of any panic to replace Ampadu now,” Jacobs told the outlet. “In early January, you might see them add midfield or versatile reinforcement, partially to cover the back end of the festive and New Year period and to ensure that as he rehabilitates and comes back, they have depth and other options so they won’t have to rush him back at some point in January and risk having another setback in the process.”

It will be interesting to see how manager Daniel Farke navigates the situation as any more injuries to the midfield will have to see Leeds rely on their talent in the youth academy.