Leeds are a 'distinctive' fan favorite who would be perfect for your promotion

Leeds United Back to work in championship This weekend as they prepare to host Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road in the Yorkshire derby on Sunday.

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

Daniel WakeThe Premier League side beat Harrogate 1-0 in the third round of the FA Cup last time out, while their last match in the tournament ended in a 3-3 draw with Hull.

The West Yorkshire side have drawn their last two games in the division, against Hull and Blackburn, and will know they will have to return to winning ways if they are to maintain their place in the automatic promotion places.

The January transfer window has been open for over two weeks, and Leeds could look to get into the market to ensure they have the best possible chance of achieving their promotion target in the second half of the season.

In fact, the Whites are said to be looking to add more quality to the squad, and now they have their eyes on a centre-back from the Premier League.

Leeds are interested in the Premier League defender

According to The TelegraphLeeds is one of the teams interested in a potential deal to sign Nottingham Forest centre-back Andrew Omobamidele this month.

The report claims that the West Yorkshire side and Championship rivals Sheffield United are both 'impressed' with the Ireland international, although it remains to be seen whether or not they will formalize that interest with a genuine offer for his services.

It states that Nottingham Forest are open to including some of their players in the January transfer window, and that the Irish giant is one of the failed players who could be on the verge of being cut, amid interest from home and abroad.

The Tricky Trees have signed the defender from Norwich City in the summer of 2023 in a reported deal that could be… With a value of up to 20 million pounds sterlingincluding add-ons, and it remains to be seen how much they want to recover from any sale.

It has been reported previously, By the sunHowever, the Premier League side would be interested in doing a deal that would see the centre-back go out on loan with a commitment to make the deal permanent in the summer, which could work for Leeds if the guarantee is conditional on them achieving promotion.

Of course, Farke already has two regular centre-backs in the Leeds squad this season, one of whom has been a standout star for the Whites.

How did Leeds United's centre-backs perform this season?

Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk have become the Whites' first choice at centre-back, as was the case in the first half of the 2023-24 season before the Dutchman's injury.

After returning from injury to start regularly again this season, the former Ajax man enjoyed an impressive season in the Championship on the left side of defence.

Struijk helped the team retain him 13 clean sheets In 24 matches in the second division, he did not commit any mistake that led to a shot, goal, or penalty kick for the opponent.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Rodon in the right centre-back role. He has already made two fouls that led to shots or goals for the opposition and conceded a penalty, leading to Josh Sargent going down against Norwich in a 1-1 draw at Carrow Road.

As you can see in the table above, Struijk has outperformed the Wales international as an outright defender, with fewer fouls and more defensive tackles to prevent Illane Meslier from working each game.

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

Why should Leeds sign Andrew Omobamidele?

Firstly, Farke actually likes the Ireland international. The German coach made the brave decision to bring the 18-year-old into the starting line-up as Norwich finished as Champions League champions in the 2020/21 season, starting… Eight of his nine Appearances.

He also handed over his Teen Titan Debut in the Premier League In the 2021/22 season, but he was sacked by the Canaries before he had the opportunity to develop him further, and this shows that the Leeds coach already knows the centre-back and values ​​him highly.

This means that Omobamidele, who was Hailed as “Outstanding” By his former teammate Grant Hanley, he can step right in and hit the ground running, because he already has the manager's trust and knows the style of play, as well as how to win a title.

The 22-year-old giant has just that Played 11 times In the Premier League since the start of last season, and given his lack of minutes, he needs to get back to playing regular football to regain the form he showed at Norwich earlier in his career.

As you can see in the table above, Omobamidele was an incredibly dominant defender who did not allow attackers to get the better of him on the ground or in the air too often in Farke's last title-winning season in the tournament.

These stats suggest there is potential for him to be an upgrade over Rodon, given he has a higher sparring success rate on the ground and in the air while also making more defensive tackles per game than the Welshman this season, if he can return to those levels under him. German coach.

As a right-footed player, Omobamidele could also slot in perfectly in this position on the right side of the defense and provide balance next to the left-footed Struijk, who may like to play alongside a dominant defender who does not make mistakes on the pitch. Regular basis.

This will be a gamble, given his lack of late minutes, but it could be worth it when you consider his relationship with Farke and his previous form under the coach, as he could become an ideal partner for Strojk. And a great competition for Rodon in the second half of the season.