Leeds United take a break championship They prepare to face Harrogate Town in the FA Cup third round at Elland Road this weekend.

Team White has the opportunity to hand opportunities to some of the fringe players in the group and see if they can give them a chance. Daniel Falk Ahead of the upcoming league campaign, selection is a headache.

Karl Darlow will have a game to show for his performance after Illan Meslier made a mistake in the last game against Hull City (as seen in the highlights below) Ability between the bats.

The former Newcastle United goalkeeper will be keen to prove he is capable of progressing in the Championship should Farke decide to make a move between goals.

Mateo Joseph could also get a chance against second-tier teams in the absence of Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe through injury Lead from the start.

The Spain U21 international may be in need of a strong performance, with Leeds United rumored to be interested in adding another No.9 to their squad during the January transfer window, which opened last week.

Leeds United eye striker deal

according to Sky Sports reporter Ben Hecknerthe Whites are looking to sign Hoffenheim center Mejim Berisha to bolster their attacking options in the second half of the season.

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Reporters claim that Leeds United and German club Werder Bremen are both interested in the former Germany international, meaning the Championship side may need to secure his signature before the end of the transfer window.

He added that any deal could be structured such that the striker moves to Elland Road on an 18-month loan deal with an option to make the move permanent in the summer of 2026.

That would give either Leeds or Werder Bremen the chance to dominate Berisha for the better part of two seasons before deciding whether to keep him long-term.

However, there’s no mention of how much Hoffenheim want for a permanent option, or how much they want as a loan fee for the initial 18 months, meaning it’s difficult to gauge the feasibility of the deal. Financially, for white people at this moment.

However, the move could make sense for Leeds, which would see them finally say goodbye to Joe Gelhardt, who was linked with a move away from West Yorkshire this month.

Why this could be the end for Joe Gerhardt

Speaking ahead of clash with Harrogate Falk made it clear Gerhardt is free to talk to other clubs but has yet to make a final decision on whether to allow the striker to leave within the current window.

and Bamford and Pirro are out due to injuriesJoseph and the English attacker are the Germany manager’s only two senior centre-forward options this weekend, which may be why he is somewhat hesitant to sanction the transfer at this point.

However, bringing in an experienced number nine like Berisha would provide the former Norwich City boss with another quality option in the position, allowing him to send Gelhardt down the road without having to worry about that. Making an impact on his team’s depth.

Championship contenders Hull City are among the clubs Reportedly interested in signing The 22-year-old deadbeat has been unable to force his way into Falke’s plans over the past 18 months or so.

As you can see in the table above, Gerhardt was used sparingly by the Leeds manager and made almost no impact on the pitch in his limited time, with zero goals, zero assists, and zero ‘big chances’ create.

Therefore, it seems the best thing for all parties involved is to say goodbye to the former Wigan man either permanently or on loan this month, and signing Berisha could be the way they do that.

What Mergim Berisha can bring to Leeds

In addition to the depth needed to part ways with Gerhardt, the German center could be a great addition to the team for a number of reasons.

Berisha, 26, is an experienced striker with experience in the Bundesliga and the German national team and could be an excellent mentor for 21-year-old Joseph, helping him continue to develop and reach his potential.

It’s a bit of a gamble for Leeds, though, as the striker has struggled for game time since his ordeal. ACL injury In November 2023, he missed 251 days.

Berisha is described as “clinical terminatorHowever, he showed his quality in Germany’s top flight before a long injury layoff.

As shown in the table above, the striker caught the attention of his former club Augsburg in the 2022/23 Bundesliga season, directly contributing 13 goals in 23 games.

Before the start of that season, in the summer of 2022, it was reported that then Leeds manager Jesse Marsch – Offer to bring him to Elland Road to bolster his forward options at the time as Gems had scored 14 goals and 10 assists Under his leadership, he played 28 league games for Red Bull Salzburg in the 2020/21 season.

Ultimately, the American boss failed to seal a deal for his former star in Austria, but it could be second time lucky for the Whites this month.

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Although it will be a gamble, as Berisha said One goal and one assist With 11 Bundesliga games under his belt this season, signing the Germany ace on an 18-month loan could be a shrewd move and allow Fake to wave goodbye to Gerhardt.