We’re getting slightly mixed messages from the owner and the head coach about the prospects of Leeds signing any more players before the transfer window shuts.
Massimo Cellino has told Sky that "We are unlikely to make any signings before the transfer deadline on Monday, but we are committed to keeping our best players at the club." However Steve Evans is insisting that Il Presidente hasn’t ruled out the possibility that a couple of new players could arrive by Monday’s 11pm deadline.
Leeds Liam Bridcutt and Mustapha Carayol on loan, as well as signing Toumani Diagouraga for £575,000, yet a few more signings might have been expected after the sale of Sam Byram for £3.7m, as well as the departures of Dawson and Bianchi. Evans has made no secret of his desire to get a new striker and a central defender.
When the Yorkshire Post asked Evans about Cellino’s comments he said "He takes control of the financial situation so he knows how near we are. When he says it’s unlikely, he may feel that one or two things are slipping away from us. We’ll see where we go. Unlikely could be just a stage of negotiations rather than what actually happens. The president was still working (on a deal) on Tuesday night. Sometimes you make a bid and it’s not quickly accepted.”
"My understanding is that we’ve got negotiations going on on several fronts. The president knows what stage they’re at and if he thinks it’s slipping then it would be unlikely.” And he insisted that the club’s owner is still backing his attempts to strengthen the squad. "One hundred per cent I’ve been supported by the president. Would I be disappointed if we don’t add from now? Yes. But have I been backed and are we trying to get the players in who I’ve given on a sheet of paper? Yes we are.”
Evans is also confident that none of our other top young players will be leaving in the next few days, despite Premier League interest in Lewis Cook and Charlie Taylor. These two still have 18 months of their current contracts to run, as has Alex Mowatt, so while the club doesn’t have to sell them now, it could be a different story this time next year if we’re not challenging for promotion.
One player we have been linked with is Norwich striker Kyle Lafferty, but this could be one of the frustrated bids Evans has been referring to, as the Canaries have refused to agree to a loan deal for the player. We have also been linked with a loan move for Everton winger Aiden McGeady, but I thought we had enough wide players already.
As ever, it’s difficult to guess what Massimo Cellino’s intentions really are, but let’s hope that at least a couple of these difficult negotiations are concluded by the end of Monday night, and we can make some new players into the squad in the positions where we most need them.