Leeds United They qualified for the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday with a hard-fought 1-0 win over League Two side Harrogate Town at Elland Road.
Larji Ramadani's second-half header, assisted by a brilliant cross from Manor Solomon, sealed victory for the hosts and booked them a place in the next round.
Their next FA Cup match isn't until February, meaning the Whites can turn their full attention to championship And make sure that they do not leave their place in the automatic promotion points.
The West Yorkshire side are currently one point ahead of Sheffield United and Burnley in second and third place in the Championship, meaning they do not have much room to maneuver at the top of the table.
Daniel FarkThey face Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich and Burnley – all top-half teams – as part of a three-game week ahead and will need to be on the same page to maintain their place in the top two.
The January transfer window also provides Leeds with an opportunity to strengthen their squad to give them a boost ahead of the upcoming matches, with the club said to be eyeing a Championship star this week.
Leeds United are eyeing a Championship full-back
According to the Leeds United News websitePlymouth Argyle's versatile full-back, Bali Mumba, has emerged as a target for the Championship leaders this month.
The report claims the Whites have sent scouts to watch the former England youth international play in the Championship this season, while they also watched him in their 1-0 win over Brentford in the FA Cup on Saturday.
He won at home Nine of his 14 fights And he was not dribbled over once to help his side keep a clean sheet against the Premier League side, suggesting Leeds' scouts may have been impressed by what they saw.
The outlet adds that Leeds are now considering making a bid for the 23-year-old star to bolster Farke's options at full-back ahead of the second half of the season.
Mumba is also a player the German coach knows well from their time together at Norwich City. FARC, which was once described He described it as “outstanding”He signed the defender from Sunderland in the summer of 2020.
The English dynamo went to Play nine times He played for the Canaries' first team and made his Premier League debut in the 2021/22 season under the current Leeds boss.
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Ironically, Farke could sign Mumba this month to come as a promotion for another full-back Leeds signed after working with him at Carrow Road – Sam Byram.
Sam Byram offers for Leeds FC
The veteran defender returned to Elland Road in the summer of 2023 for a second spell at West Yorkshire and a second spell working with the manager who signed him for the Canaries from West Ham ahead of the 2019/20 season.
His versatility has been particularly useful for Real over the past 18 months or so, thanks to his abilities Ability to play Comfortable at right-back, centre-back and left-back, allowing him to fill gaps across the back line when needed.
31 years old Played 33 times In the tournament during the regular season last season he contributed two goals and one assist, while playing mostly on the left side of defence.
Biram followed this up with: 11 starts on the 21st He has featured in League Two so far this season, showing that he is still an important member of the team.
|
Championship 24/25 |
Sam Byram |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
21 |
|
Helps |
1 |
|
Key passes for each match |
0.3 |
|
– Tackles + interceptions per match |
1.7 |
|
Duel success rate |
57% |
As you can see in the table above, the former Norwich man did not provide creativity from the full-back position and was far from defensive excellence, with less than two tackles and two interceptions combined per game.
By securing a deal to bring Mumba to Elland Road from Plymouth this month, Farke could earn Byram an upgrade from both a defensive and attacking perspective.
Why should Leeds sign Bali Mumba?
Firstly, the 23-year-old is eight years younger than Byram, meaning Leeds could sign him as a long-term investment, as well as a short-term upgrade to the squad.
Farke can, as he did during his time at Norwich, look to develop Mumba and help him fulfill his potential over the years to turn him into a valuable asset, while the current situation
His performances in the Championship this season for Plymouth already suggest that he could come as a major upgrade for Byram from a defensive perspective, as shown in the table below.
|
Championship 23/24 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
21 |
25 |
|
– Tackles + interceptions per match |
1.7 |
3.0 |
|
Number of permits per match |
1.0 |
1.8 |
|
Duels won in each match |
2.8 |
5.0 |
|
Key passes for each match |
0.3 |
0.6 |
|
Statistics via Sofascore |
||
The former Sunderland and Norwich star can provide more defensive protection, while – like Byram – he is able to play at left-back or right-back to cover both wings, winning tackles and duels and making clearances and interceptions.
Mumba also has the ability to provide more high up the pitch as part of a dominant team, which he was unable to show at a struggling Plymouth team, and the current Leeds man – as previously mentioned – did not offer much in that. respect.
In the 2022-23 season in which they won the League One title, the defender scored a jumper Six goals and seven assists In 37 appearances for the Pilgrims, showing he can be an attack-minded full-back who pushes forward to make an impact in the final third.
Therefore, Farke could unveil a major promotion for Byram by signing Mumba and help him rediscover his attacking flair while maintaining the defensive qualities that have caught the eye in his performances for Plymouth this season.
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It now falls to the club to act on their interest in the Championship star and agree a deal to bring him to Elland Road before the deadline expires next month.