Here is your Leeds United morning digest for Wednesday, January 6.
Victor Orta leads Adama Traore pursuit
There are fresh claims Leeds director of football Victor Orta is driving the club towards signing Wolves winger Adama Traore, who has been linked with a move to the club in recent months.
Per Eurosport, the relationship between Traore and Wolves has broken down due to a fallout over contract negotiations.
It was suggested that Traore was frustrated with his bit-part role as he was introduced off the bench in five successive league matches earlier this year. He has since started the last three Premier League matches, but the report states that player and club are not harmonious at present and he would like a January move.
The report adds that Orta is driving Leeds forward. He worked with Traore at Middlesbrough and rates the player highly.
Traore will reportedly be available for less than £50 million, but don't get too carried away Whites fans. Leeds are expected to be rather dormant in the January window after investing almost £100 million in the summer and even at a reduced price a massive outlay for Traore this month would be a huge surprise.
Jean-Philippe Mateta future clarified
Mainz Sporting Director Christian Heidel says that Jean-Philippe Mateta will not leave the club amid tentative reports with Leeds.
Earlier this week, Football Insider reported that Leeds have concrete interest in Mateta, who would support Patrick Bamford at the centre-forward position, despite the expectation that Leeds will be quiet in the January window.
However, now Heidel confirms that Mateta will not be leaving the club.
"As of today, there won't be any change," he insisted when asked by German outlet Kicker about the French striker's future.
Changes expected for FA Cup XI
Based on Marcelo Bielsa's history, Leeds can be expected to make several changes to their starting XI for this weekend's FA Cup third-round contest against Crawley Town.
As Beren Cross outlined for Leeds Live, Bielsa has made a raft of changes to his FA Cup third-round team the past two years, and given the myriad of young players in the squad who are eager for more playing time, he is expected to do the same this season.
In 2019, Jamie Shackleton, Aapo Halme, Leif Davis, Jack Clarke, Lewis Baker and Tyler Roberts were drafted into the starting XI, with then regulars such as Pontus Jansson, Kemar Roofe, Pablo Hernandez, and Mateusz Klich rested.
In 2020, against Arsenal, Bielsa again changed his team around, introducing the likes of Illan Meslier, Barry Douglas, Robbie Gotts and Gaetano Berardi. However, against Premier League opposition, he did persist with the likes of Luke Ayling, Jack Harrison, Klich, and Patrick Bamford.
This year, Bielsa has plenty of options. Kiko Casilla, Shackleton, Leif Davis, Ian Poveda, Hernandez, and Helder Costa are all seemingly in line to start having not started regularly this season. Roberts could also replace Bamford, though he was unavailable against Tottenham Hotspur and will have to prove his fitness.
