Leeds United’s January Plan: Calvert-Lewin Partner In, Meslier Out

Key Points​

• Leeds United sit 16th in the Premier League with a six-point cushion above the relegation zone heading into a pivotal January transfer window.​
• Daniel Farke’s side have demonstrated they can compete with top clubs, drawing 3-3 with champions Liverpool and beating FA Cup holders Crystal Palace 4-1.​
• Leeds are constrained financially and structurally, meaning significant January arrivals are likely to require player departures first.​
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin has become Leeds’ focal striker, scoring seven league goals in 16 appearances and netting in five consecutive Premier League fixtures.​
• As outlined by Express Sport, a “dream” window would see Leeds recruit an additional forward, with Feyenoord’s Ayase Ueda highlighted as an ideal partner for Calvert-Lewin.​
• Reports in Spain, cited by Express Sport, state that Feyenoord’s Ueda has attracted interest from several clubs after scoring 19 goals in 25 games, with a lower-half Premier League side viewed as a realistic destination.​
• Express Sport suggest Leeds could explore a high-profile attacking loan, with Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling named as an option amid his lack of game time under Enzo Maresca.​
• Football Insider report that Leeds’ January priority is to sign another striker to compete with Calvert-Lewin after what has been described as a “bizarre” decision to make him first-choice on his own.​
• In an earlier comment carried by the Yorkshire Evening Post and relayed by Leeds All Over, Daniel Farke did not rule out recruiting another striker because of fitness concerns over Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.​
• Illan Meslier has slipped to third-choice goalkeeper at Elland Road behind Lucas Perri and Karl Darlow and is expected to leave in January as Leeds seek a final transfer fee before his contract runs down.​
• TeamTalk report that Meslier has held talks with several clubs and is weighing up whether to depart in January for a fee or run down his deal and leave as a free agent.​
• Italian clubs Juventus and Inter Milan, as well as Celtic, have been linked with Meslier as they evaluate long-term goalkeeping options.​
• Leeds’ recruitment team are already planning for January, with Farke insisting the club are “preparing in the background” even as he focuses on immediate fixtures.​
• Farke has stressed that, while there are “no indications anyone wants to leave”, the club remain “awake until the last second” in the market and know they need more goals to stay in the division.​
• A dream January scenario, as mapped out across national and specialist outlets, would see: Meslier depart to free wages and bring in a fee, an energetic forward such as Ueda arrive to support Calvert-Lewin, and at least one creative wide or No.10 option added on loan.​

Why is this January window so crucial for Leeds United?express​

Leeds United approach the mid-season window in 16th place, with a six-point cushion to the relegation zone but no margin for complacency in a tightly packed Premier League table. As described by Express Sport, Daniel Farke’s side have already shown they can “hang with the big-hitters”, drawing 3-3 with reigning champions Liverpool and dismantling FA Cup holders Crystal Palace 4-1 at Elland Road.​

Those results have eased pressure after a difficult start, yet the physical and tactical demands of the second half of the campaign are expected to test the depth of Farke’s squad. Leeds’ recruitment team, according to coverage from Leeds All Over, “have one eye on the January window already” as they try to give the manager the best possible chance of steering the club away from danger.​

How strong is Leeds United’s current position on the pitch?express​

On the evidence of key fixtures, Leeds have developed a competitive and increasingly confident side despite their mid-table position. In a performance widely praised in local and national reports, Leeds stormed to a 4-1 home victory against Crystal Palace, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring twice to extend a personal run of scoring in five consecutive Premier League matches.​

The thrilling 3-3 draw against Liverpool further underlined Farke’s ability to set up his team to hurt top opponents, even if defensive frailties still surface. These high-profile results have bought Farke time but also sharpened focus on the need for more depth, particularly in attacking roles, as the fixtures pile up around the turn of the year.​

What has Daniel Farke said about Leeds’ January transfer plans?leedsallover+1​

In public, Daniel Farke has been cautious about spelling out detailed January business, stressing that his primary focus remains on upcoming matches. Speaking ahead of a clash with Liverpool and quoted via the Yorkshire Evening Post, as relayed by Leeds All Over, Farke said:

“During this week I am definitely too busy… I have not one second to think about what could happen, it also depends on injuries and how the players deliver in these upcoming games.”​

Farke added that the priorities he set out in the summer “have not gone away”, revealing that “in the background we are preparing but now is not the time to speak about it”. In comments referenced by Express Sport, he is also reported to have said there are “no indications anyone wants to leave” during the winter window, though he maintained that the club must stay “awake until the last second” given the injury records of key forwards.​

Why do Leeds United want another striker to support Calvert-Lewin?footballinsider247+2​

Calvert-Lewin arrived at Elland Road on a free transfer and has quickly become the fulcrum of Leeds’ attack, with seven league goals in 16 appearances and a recent brace against Crystal Palace. His form has eased some of the scrutiny which greeted his signing, but doubts remain in sections of the football community about whether he can shoulder the scoring burden alone across an entire season.​

As reported by Mick Brown of Football Insider, some within the game regard Leeds’ summer move as unusual given his recent injury history and patchy scoring record prior to this campaign. Brown told Football Insider that Leeds “need somebody who is going to score goals for them”, arguing that the club’s decision to sign Calvert-Lewin as the clear first-choice striker was “bizarre” and suggesting that bringing him in alongside another centre-forward would have made more sense.​

In an earlier briefing noted by Leeds All Over, Farke himself did not dismiss the idea of more forward reinforcements, saying before the season that he “wouldn’t rule out another striker signing because you always have to be awake until the last second”, highlighting “doubts due to the injury records of Dominic and Lukas” Nmecha. That admission dovetails with more recent reporting that Leeds will prioritise attacking additions when the window opens.​

Who could be Calvert-Lewin’s ideal ‘wingman’ in attack?express​

The most eye-catching name linked with Leeds’ dream January scenario is Ayase Ueda, the Japan international currently with Feyenoord. Express Sport detail how Ueda has registered 19 goals in 25 games this season, figures that have made him a target for several clubs and mark him out as a dynamic forward capable of playing alongside a more traditional No.9.​

Citing Spanish outlet SPORT, Express Sport report that a side from the lower half of the Premier League is considered a plausible destination for Ueda either in January or the summer, and argue that “Leeds would be a perfect fit” given their need for more goals. The article suggests Leeds could test Feyenoord’s resolve with a substantial offer mid-season, although the Dutch club may be reluctant to part with a prolific scorer unless the fee is very persuasive.​

Are Leeds United also targeting creative wide and No.10 options?leedsallover+1​

Beyond a direct partner for Calvert-Lewin, Leeds have been linked with attacking midfielders and wingers to increase creativity in the final third. Leeds All Over note that Farke’s preferred profiles include a right-sided forward or No.10 “in the mould of Harry Wilson or Facundo Buonanotte”, indicating a desire for players who can operate between the lines and supply the front pair in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 system.​

Express Sport add that after missing out on targets such as Brighton’s Facundo Buonanotte and Fulham’s Harry Wilson in the summer, Leeds could again look to the loan market to strengthen. Within that context, Raheem Sterling is named as a potential short-term option, with the Chelsea and England winger having not played under Enzo Maresca this season and widely expected to move on either in January or at the end of the campaign.​

Why is Illan Meslier expected to depart Leeds in January?teamtalk+1​

Illan Meslier’s situation has shifted dramatically over the past year, with the Frenchman now third-choice behind summer signing Lucas Perri and experienced back-up Karl Darlow. Express Sport describe the upcoming window as Leeds’ “last chance” to secure a transfer fee before his contract winds down, noting that Meslier has not played this season and that offloading his wages could free up space for reinforcements elsewhere in the squad.​

According to TeamTalk, Leeds informed Meslier in the summer that he was free to leave and even explored a possible loan late in the window to ease the wage bill, but the move fell through as the player did not find an acceptable package. TeamTalk add that Leeds are “hoping to move him on in January” and have held talks with a number of clubs, with the club now entering what is described as the “final window” to obtain any meaningful fee for the former Lorient keeper.​

Which clubs are interested in signing Meslier from Leeds United?teamtalk+1​

Express Sport report that Serie A giants Juventus and Inter Milan have shown interest in Meslier as they plan for long-term depth in goal, particularly with Inter monitoring potential successors in case of changes in their own squad. The same piece notes that with Yann Sommer’s contract at Inter due to expire in the summer, the Italian club may be tempted to act sooner rather than later if a deal can be struck.​

TeamTalk, meanwhile, highlight Celtic as a serious admirer, with the Scottish champions considering Meslier as a possible successor to Kasper Schmeichel, who is out of contract in the summer and has faced criticism this season. The outlet explains that Meslier, entering the final stages of his deal, is aware that his bargaining power grows as free agency approaches and may weigh a pre-contract agreement from 1 January against Leeds’ preference to sell this month.​

How restricted are Leeds United’s finances and transfer options?footballinsider247+2​

Leeds’ ability to act decisively in January is constrained by Premier League financial regulations and by the need to keep the wage bill balanced. Express Sport emphasise that, while the club are “restricted with their plans,” there is still scope for astute business if players such as Meslier depart and make room for at least one or two key additions.​

Football Insider’s coverage also implies that strategic choices in previous windows have narrowed Leeds’ room for manoeuvre, with the decision to install Calvert-Lewin as primary striker meaning the club must now revisit the position mid-season. Yet as Farke has stressed, as carried by Leeds All Over, the club’s background work has continued and the priorities discussed in the summer remain intact, suggesting that any openings created by outgoings will be swiftly exploited.​

What would constitute a ‘dream’ January window for Leeds United?footballinsider247+3​

Taken together, coverage from national newspapers and specialist outlets sketches out what a best-case scenario could look like for Leeds over the coming weeks. In Express Sport’s view, a dream window would see Leeds complete a clean break with Meslier by agreeing a permanent sale, unlocking wages and a fee that can be reinvested, while finalising at least one deal for a forward able to play off Calvert-Lewin, such as Ueda, and a creative wide or No.10 player, potentially via loans.​

From Football Insider’s standpoint, the absolute priority is securing “a regular and reliable goalscorer” to share the load with Calvert-Lewin, rectifying what Mick Brown terms the “bizarre” nature of the summer deal by adding a second genuine No.9. Leeds All Over’s analysis, framed through Farke’s own hints, points towards maintaining flexibility: enhance goal threat, strengthen depth in the attacking midfield lanes, and keep options open in case injuries or late offers prompt further tweaks before the deadline.