LUFC Dead Wood gone but where's the new signings?

The transfer window is now closed until the end of the season and after promising much, very little happened at Elland Road.

Leeds boss Simon Grayson got rid of a lot of deadwood that as been littering Elland Road for a while but new faces coming in were few and far between.

Only one player joined who had not previously kicked a ball for Leeds this season and he was a goalkeeper, a position that we really needed to strengthen, didn`t we!

Andy O`Brien completed a two and a half year deal after enjoying a successful loan spell and George McCartney extended his loan from Sunderland for the remainder of the season.

Ramon Nunez who has been seen less than Shergar and Lord Lucan since signing for Leeds in the autumn extended his deal until the end of the season.

On deadline day when we was all hoping for a combative midfielder, we signed an unknown goalkeeper on loan from Manchester City to add to Kasper Schmeichel and Shane Higgs.

Going out of the club during the month, Simon Grayson as been quite ruthless and finally got rid of some of the deadwood at the club.

Lubomir Michalik, Liam Darville, Tom Elliott, Jason Crowe, Alan Martin and Amdy Faye were all released by Leeds.

Youngster Aidy White and misfit and probably the worst signing of the summer, Federico Bessone were sent out on loan for the remainder of the season.

Two players leaving came as quite a surprise with Andy Hughes leaving for Scunthorpe and Neil Collins who had only signed for Leeds in the summer from Preston, left to join Sheffield United.

With Leeds in a great position in the Championship, have we missed a great opportunity to strengthen and push on for promotion in the last few months of the season?

What is certain is whilst nearly every other club hoping to be in the promotion mix at the end of the season as strengthened and strengthened well, we have stood still.

The FA Cup money that was raised from the two games played against Arsenal, in front of almost 100,000 fans, that Ken Bates promised would be spent to strengthen our squad during January, hasn`t materialised.

Bradley Johnson and Neil Kilkenny remain at the club and unless the sign new deals they will both leave for free in the summer.

We are down to a squad of 25 players.

We have 3 goalkeepers (Kasper Schmeichel, Shane Higgs and David Gonzalez).
In defence, we have 8 players, (Paul Connolly, Alex Bruce, Andy O`Brien, Richard Naylor, George McCartney, Ben Parker, Leigh Bromby and Patrick Kisnorbo).
The midfield consists of 9 players, (John Howson, Lloyd Sam, Sanchez Watt, Adam Clayton, Bradley Johnson, Robert Snodgrass, Max Gradel, Neil Kilkenny and Ramon Nunez).
Upfront we have 5 to choose from, (Luciano Becchio, Davide Somma, Billy Paynter, Ross McCormack and Mike Grella).

Still looks a good squad but a few injuries could leave us very short for cover.

Looks like we will go down the usual route of beg steel and borrow in the loan window when it opens again in a week`s time.

Ins:

Andy O`Brien - Bolton Wanderers - Two and a half year deal - Free
Ramon Nunez - Extends short-term deal until end of the season
George McCartney (loan) - Sunderland - Rest of the season
David Gonzalez (loan) - Manchester City - Rest of the season

Outs:
Neil Collins - Sheffield United - Undisclosed
Andy Hughes - Scunthorpe - Free
Federico Bessone (loan) - Charlton Athletic - Rest of the season
Aidy White (loan) - Oldham Athletic - Rest of the season
Lubomir Michalik - Released
Liam Darville - Released
Jason Crowe -Released
Tom Elliott - Released
Alan Martin - Released
Amdy Faye - Released







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