Leeds United back in action championship This weekend, they prepare to face Sheffield Wednesday in the Yorkshire derby at Elland Road on Sunday.

The Whites know that taking all three points will keep them at the top of the table as they seek automatic promotion back to the Premier League the second time they ask for it.

Daniel FalkIn the last FA Cup third round match, the team defeated second division team Harrogate 1-0, while the last English Championship match was a 3-3 draw with Hull City.

The West Yorkshire side have drawn their last two games in the league against Hull City and Blackburn Rovers and know they must get back to winning ways if they are to retain their automatic promotion spot.

The January transfer window has been open for more than two weeks and Leeds United may consider entering the market to ensure they have the best chance of achieving promotion targets in the second half of the season.

In fact, the Whites are reportedly looking to add more quality to their squad and have now set their sights on a centre-back from the Premier League.

Leeds United keen on Premier League defender

According to the TelegraphLeeds United are among the teams interested in signing Nottingham Forest centre-back Andrew Omobamidele this month.

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The report claims that both West Yorkshire and Championship rivals Sheffield United “admire” the Ireland international, although it remains to be seen whether they will formalize that interest with a genuine offer.

Reports claim that Nottingham Forest are willing to offload a number of players in the January transfer window and the Irish giant is one of the players who could be axed amid domestic and international interest.

The Crafty Trees have signed the defender from Norwich City in the summer of 2023, with reports that the deal could be Worth up to £20 millionincluding add-ons, it remains to be seen how much they hope to recoup from any sales.

It was previously reported that By The SunHowever, the Premier League side are interested in agreeing a deal to loan the centre-back out with an obligation to make the deal permanent in the summer, which could work in Leeds’ favor if conditions are guaranteed and they achieve promotion.

Of course, Falke already has two first-choice centre-backs in Leeds’ squad this season, one of whom is a standout star for the Whites.

How Leeds United’s centre-backs have fared this season

Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk have been the first-choice partnership at the heart of the Whites’ defense, as they were during the first half of the 2023/24 season before the Dutchman’s injury.

The former Ajax man has had a fantastic season as a left-back in the Championship after returning from injury this season.

Struijk helped the team retain 13 games without conceding a goal In 24 appearances in the second division, he has yet to make any mistakes that resulted in an opponent’s shot, goal or penalty.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Rodon, who plays in the right-centre-back role. He has already made two errors resulting in shots or goals and missed a penalty, which saw Josh Sargent sent off in the 1-1 draw with Norwich City at Carrow Road.

As you can see in the table above, Struijk outperforms the Wales international as an out-and-out defender, making fewer mistakes and more defensive intervention to prevent Il Len Meslier is affected every game.

This suggests that if Leeds want to sign a player in this position, they should look for a centre-back who can play on the right and partner Struijk, which is why Omo Bamidele is a good choice for the Dutchman is perfect.

Why Leeds United should sign Andrew Omobamidele

Firstly, Falke already likes the Ireland international. The German manager made the brave decision to include the 18-year-old in the starting XI as Norwich finally won the 2020/21 Championship. eight of his nine Appearance.

He will also give his Premier League debut But being sacked by the Canaries before being given the chance to develop him further in the 2021/22 season shows that the Leeds boss already knows and thinks highly of the centre-back.

This means Omo Bamidele Known as “Excellent” The man, played by former teammate Grant Hanley, can come straight in and hit the ground running as he already has the trust of the manager and understands the style of play and what it takes to win titles.

The 22-year-old giant only Played 11 times He has been playing in the Premier League since the start of last season and due to a lack of playing time, he needs to return to regular football to rediscover the form he showed at Norwich earlier in his career.

As you can see in the chart above, Omobamidele was a dominant defender who was both on the ground and in the air during Falke’s final title-winning season. Allow the attacker to defeat him.

These statistics suggest that he has the potential to be an upgrade over Rodon, as he has a higher success rate in duels on the ground and in the air this season than the Welshman, while also making more defensive interventions per game, if he can Back to the level of being under a German boss.

As a right-footed player, Omobamidele would also fit perfectly into the right-footed position of the defense and provide balance next to left-footed Struijk, who might like to play in a position where he won’t be defending Kicked next to the dominant defender who made the mistake. regular.

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It would be a gamble given his recent lack of playing time, but given his relationship with Falke and his previous performances under the manager, it might be worth it as he could become Struijk Rodon’s perfect partner, the competition in the second half of the season is also very fierce.