Harry Wilson signs: What Leeds United's perfect January transfer window looks like | OneFootball

FLW outline the dream scenario for Leeds United in the January transfer window.

Leeds United, under Daniel Farke, entered the 2024/25 Championship season with plenty of ambition, but they will know how crucial the upcoming January window can be in defining their season.

It is less than two months away for the club, who are aiming to restore the club’s Premier League status after a disappointing end to last season and a play-off final defeat. Promotion to the Premier League is the priority for Leeds every season as a second tier club, but especially after finishing third in the Championship with an impressive 90 points last season.

After that saw them narrowly miss out on automatic promotion, squad overhaul was then inevitable, with high-profile departures like Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, and Archie Gray chasing Premier League opportunities. Optimism remains high despite that, with the Whites looking to go one better in 2024/25 and still maintaining a strong squad with impressive signings in the summer.

However, they cannot afford to be totally inactive in the market, and will know the importance of getting the January transfer window right this time around. It could be pivotal in shaping the second half of the campaign, and recruitment discussions and plans will be going on all the time currently behind the scenes ahead of a crucial winter window for the sides in the promotion mix.

Here, we take a look at what the perfect January window that Leeds could be involved in could look like.

Leeds United retain their best players

Including Pascal Struijk and Willy Gnonto

As the January window approaches, Leeds face a crucial period in their bid for promotion, with retaining key players like Pascal Struijk and Willy Gnonto absolutely vital. Both have been standout performers this season, and with Premier League vultures likely to be circling, keeping them at Elland Road could be the difference between automatic promotion and falling short.

Struijk’s importance cannot be overstated. The Dutch defender has been a rock at the heart of Leeds’ defence, combining physicality with composure on the ball. His ability to step out from the back and initiate attacks by punching passes forwards has been key to Farke’s system.

Losing him mid-season would not only weaken the defence but disrupt the build-up play that Leeds rely on, which was evident last season after injury as well. Clubs from the top tier are bound to be interested, but Leeds must resist any temptation to cash-in, especially with the stakes so high.

Willy Gnonto has also become indispensable in Leeds’ attack. The winger’s pace, trickery, and directness make him a nightmare for defenders and a key outlet in the final third. His ability to create chances out of nothing has been crucial in tight games as a match-winner, and selling him now would rob Leeds of one of their most unpredictable weapons.

As interest from Premier League clubs grows, keeping hold of him will be a major test of Leeds’ ambitions, but he is undoubtedly the biggest difference-maker in the final third, who has had to step up to the mantle following the losses of Rutter and Gnonto.

While Ethan Ampadu’s injury might cool interest in him for now, his return will be pivotal to Leeds’ promotion push. His leadership and ability to anchor the midfield make him another key asset the club must hold onto. If Leeds are serious about returning to the Premier League, they must fend off any bids for their top players and keep this promotion-chasing squad intact.

Leeds should look to add some creativity with Harry Wilson

The Fulham man has been making an impact off the bench recently

A versatile attacking midfielder was on the club's priority list following Rutter's summer departure, but Leeds made Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon their main forward signings to help ease the creative burden on other players. However, it is likely to be on the agenda again in January.

Fringe players who are out of favour at Premier League sides can be a good place to look, and Harry Wilson’s influence at Fulham during their Championship title win was exceptional and cannot be overstated. Since joining the Cottagers from Liverpool in 2021, the Welsh international has consistently shown why he’s one of the Championship’s standout creative players, but opportunities are harder to come by in the top-flight.

Up until recent substitute appearances where he has scored from the bench, his place has been well down the pecking order in the Premier League, but his quality is undeniable. That may complicate a potential move to the second tier, but it is unclear if he is a part of Marco Silva's plans long-term and things can change quickly in football.

Wilson's attacking intelligence is top drawer, and he excels at finding pockets of space between the lines and in the half-spaces, making him a constant threat in forward play at this level. His vision and ability to pick out key passes made him the creative heartbeat of the side in 2021/22. Whether it’s threading through balls for strikers or cutting inside to shoot powerfully from distance, Wilson is always looking to create something out of nothing.

Wilson can strike from distance with accuracy and power, adding a dynamic element to Leeds' attack that very few of their forward line possess. His ability to whip in dangerous crosses and corners would be another weapon in Farke's attacking arsenal. Set-pieces are where he truly shines, and he’s a player who can turn a game with a moment of magic from a free-kick.

Wilson can win matches both through moments of brilliance and consistent quality, whilst he could operate as either a right-sided winger or attacking midfielder for Leeds. They have very few left-footed forwards like him in their ranks as well. The last time he played at this level, he notched 10 goals and 20 assists in 41 Championship matches, and it is still possible he will be available in January.

Leeds require another striker

Chelsea's David Datro Fofana could be ideal

David Datro Fofana could be a shrewd signing for Leeds, as the club may look to bolster their striking options further. The Chelsea loanee is blessed with explosive pace, strong dribbling, and a sharp eye for goal, which are attributes that make him a dangerous forward in transition.

Leeds could benefit from his direct style of play, as well as his ability to pin opposition defences. It makes him a multi-faceted forward, but he is a young player who has only shown glimpses so far of his potential in the Premier League, but it’s in the Championship where he could truly shine.

His ability to take on defenders and create space for teammates makes him a nightmare for opposition defences, but he can also do the rougher side of the game as well as the goalscoring. That could make him a strong alternative to Joel Piroe or Mateo Joseph.

He offers something different as a focal point of the attack to Piroe, with his explosive pace and ability to run in behind defences. Unlike Piroe, whose strength lies in finishing rather than mobility. While he is likely to have more of a clinical edge over Joseph, who excels in hold-up play and channel-running, Fofana provides a mix of both players' best attributes, making him a dynamic option up front.

His physicality allows him to challenge defenders, but his speed also enables him to exploit high defensive lines, making him a more direct threat in matches where Leeds need to turn possession into quick counter-attacks. With Leeds’ ambitions to secure promotion, bringing in a player like Fofana could be the difference between pushing for automatic spots or scrapping in the play-offs yet again.

His talent, combined with the hunger to prove himself, would add another layer of firepower to Leeds’ attack, and a loan deal from Chelsea could be the perfect low-risk, high-reward move. Of course, due to his current situation on loan in Turkey with Göztepe, it is complicated.

Fofana and both clubs would have to come to some sort of agreement to free him up for another loan to the Championship instead, but both he and Wilson certainly fit under the idea of a dream window for Leeds, should they also be able to hang onto all of their best players.