There is already less than a month until Leeds United will be on the hunt for new signings again.
Those behind-the-scenes will already be working hard on putting the necessary plans in place ahead of the summer window, which officially opens on June 14.
Having said that, Daniel Farke’s focus right now will firmly be on the pitch, as Leeds get set for their Championship play-off semi-final second leg against Norwich City tomorrow.
The winner of that tie would move to within 90 minutes of a place in next season’s Premier League, and if Leeds were to go all the way, a considerably more exciting window would be ahead.
Much of the focus would be on building a squad capable of maintaining Leeds’ top-flight status, rather than the need for key player sales if they stay down, which 49ers Enterprises have already acknowledged would need to happen.
Why Manuel Benson will now be regretting late Leeds snub
Irrespective of how Leeds’ season ends, the summer window will be much busier than January where only one player was brought in on loan, as Connor Roberts joined from Burnley.
Right-back was Leeds’ position of priority in the winter, though that does not mean they did not target other positions. Another central defender and right-winger were on the agenda.
One player they pushed to sign in an attempt to strengthen the latter was Roberts’ teammate at Turf Moor, Manuel Benson.
Benson had been struggling for game time at Burnley and therefore was the subject of Championship interest from Southampton, Leeds and Middlesbrough.
Leeds are said to have made a late deadline day play to bring Benson to Elland Road but he opted to stay and fight for his place, a decision which has backfired.
The ‘electric’ attacker has not seen any improvement in his playing time, having been on the pitch for just 39 minutes since the end of December. Almost half of those came in the weekend defeat at Tottenham.
And having played such a key role in Burnley’s promotion last season, his miserable campaign was compounded at the weekend as their relegation was officially confirmed.
Amid injuries to Dan James and Willy Gnonto over the past two or three months, Benson would’ve got considerably more game time at Leeds and had the chance of adding another promotion to his CV.
Benson joins Daiki Hashioka in regretting Leeds snub
Benson is not the only January target of Leeds’ who may have a tinge of regret at not moving to Elland Road in January.
Leeds had been close to signing right-back Daiki Hashioka until Luton Town swooped in at the 11th hour with the lure of Premier League football.
Like Benson, however, Hashioka’s time in the top-flight has not lasted too long with Luton’s relegation all but mathematically confirmed ahead of the final day.