Leeds United will desperately be hoping for promotion come the end of the season, aiming to bring an end to their two-year stay in the Championship.
The Whites were relegated at the end of the 2022/23 Premier League season, ending their three-year stint in the top flight after previously going 16 years without top-division football at Elland Road.
Marcelo Bielsa was the man who led the club to the promised land, winning England’s second tier during the 2019/20 campaign, catching the eye with his intensity system.
However, after an impressive first term in the Premier League, he would ultimately be sacked in February 2022, with American Jesse Marsch tasked with securing survival in that campaign.
The 51-year-old succeeded in his task, but found himself in a precarious position 12 months later, with various pieces of transfer activity taking place in January 2023 to try and maintain their top-flight status.
Leeds’ transfer window in January 2023
Incomings were to be expected after a poor first few months of the season, with the hierarchy splashing the cash to try and prevent relegation.
Georginio Rutter arrived in a £36m deal from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim during the aforementioned window, a club-record deal with the hope of bolstering the attacking department.
However, the Frenchman took longer than expected to settle into life in England, failing to score a single goal and registering just one assist in the process over the next six months.
Weston McKennie arrived on loan from European giants Juventus for the remainder of the season, looking to add needed quality to the Leeds side who were well and truly stuck in a relegation scrap.
The American suffered the same fortune as Rutter during his temporary spell in Yorkshire, making 20 appearances but unfortunately unable to prevent the Whites from dropping into the Championship at the end of the season.
January 2023 also saw the departure of one of their key man during the promotion-winning campaign, with midfielder Mateusz Klich departing on a free transfer to join MLS outfit DC United to allow him to gain more game time.
The Pole failed to start a single outing in the league before his transfer away from Elland Road, subsequently leading to his transfer away from the Whites.
However, the now 34-year-old wasn’t the only player to depart the club during that time frame, with the decision to allow another star to depart now looking to be a potential mistake.
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