This week has been a busy one as far as transfer rumours are concerned at Elland Road.
Loan striker Eddie Nketiah has been the subject of a possible recall from Arsenal with Bristol City swooping around the striker once again.
However, some possible incomings are in the pipeline too. Midfielder Billy Gilmour is being targeted over a potential loan deal while the same can be said for Reece James.
Football Insider have suggested that the Whites are keeping tabs on the defender with a view to trying to bring him to west Yorkshire if he fell out of Frank Lampard’s plans at Chelsea.
James spent the opening weeks of the season out through injury and as a result, has made just two appearances in all competitions for the Chelsea first-team this term.
That comes after a stellar campaign with Wigan in the Championship where the 19-year-old played 45 times both at right-back and in defensive midfield.
With the potential for a temporary deal to be done in January, do Football FanCast writers think Leeds should continue their pursuit?
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Charles Jones:
“Of course Leeds should be looking at signing Reece James on loan in January. After all, the right-back made the Championship Team of the Year last term despite playing in a poor Wigan side.
“Luke Ayling has struggled with injuries so far this season, and Jamie Shackleton is more of a midfield player than a full-back.
“James would instantly improve Bielsa’s side, especially with his attacking mantra, playing 1.6 key passes per game last season. Not only that, but he’d also allow Ayling to provide some much-needed cover at centre-half for when Gaetano Berardi inevitably gets sent off again.
“Whether or not they can get him is another question as Frank Lampard seems to be a fan of his and the Chelsea manager’s relationship with the Yorkshire club isn’t the best after Spygate, but if they can pull this one off it’d be a huge coup.”
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Vijievan Jeevathayalan:
“The Championship can be an unforgivable testing ground for young players, what with its gruelling 46-game season, and bruising physicality. But Reece James’ impressive performances on loan at Wigan last season proved exactly why Marcelo Bielsa must go all in with a January swoop for the 19-year-old.
“The England U20 international cleaned up at the Latics’ annual awards ceremony, and even earned rave reviews from Leeds legend Eddie Gray about his willingness “to take chances and shots on goal”.
“The powerful teenager would give Bielsa’s side an attacking impetus from right-back, having averaged one shot and 1.6 key passes per game for Wigan. At 5 foot 9, and weighing 87kg, James is a marauding tank that could prove to be an unstoppable force from the flanks were Leeds to pull off a major coup in the winter.”
Jon Radcliffe:
“Considering he has already made his Champions League debut this term, it could be seen by many as a step down if Reece James were to move on loan to Leeds. But, realistically, it wouldn’t be the worst move in the world.
“He has plenty of promise, granted, but he has the unfortunate problem of playing in the same position as the club captain at Chelsea. No matter how well he performs, it is unlikely that Frank Lampard will drop his leader too often.
“At Elland Road, though, he would surely play in the majority of matches, especially if he’s going to a club in order to improve a side that already has Dallas and Ayling as options. There are far worse managers to work under than the legendary Marcelo Bielsa too.
“The Whites are fighting for promotion to the Premier League, which therefore means that the 19-year-old would be playing in a competitive atmosphere where every result counts. For the Yorkshire outfit, this would be a coup. James is a quality right-back, as his Player of the Year award at Wigan last year indicates, and he would slot in nicely on that side of the defence. Their promotion push will no doubt be boosted by the arrival of a player who made such an impact in the Championship last term.”
Matt Dawson:
“A move for James would certainly be an interesting one but I’m not so sure it’s the correct call, particularly given the other areas Victor Orta should be looking at strengthening in the winter.
“It’s no secret that Leeds are struggling financially, even Andrea Radrizzani admitted it wasn’t sustainable to keep their wage at the level it’s currently at in an interview with The Times this week. With that in mind, they must be more careful with their resources in January.
“Leeds already have six players on loan and adding any more would simply lead to an even bigger fight for places.
“Considering they have filled their loan quota, it would make sense to target someone in another position, not at right-back where they have able options in Stuart Dallas and Luke Ayling. The former has earned rave reviews while the latter played as many as 40 times last season.
“The Whites are struggling to hit the back of the net, amassing the tenth highest goals tally in the division, so perhaps they should look at bringing in a forward on loan instead.”
