Leeds United were ready to do business for a new midfielder in January, but Marcelo Bielsa snubbed an offer to loan Harry Winks from Tottenham Hotspur in a half-season transfer.
That’s according to the Yorkshire Evening Post, who note the Whites made clear before the window opened their desire to improve Bielsa’s engine room. The Elland Road natives also wanted some options to join their U23s, but ended the month without bringing anyone in.
Bielsa did not demand Director of Football Victor Orta make any signings during the winter market. He also insisted that any arrival must represent a clear upgrade on those already in West Yorkshire. Even though their need for reinforcements has been evident all season.
Boubacar Kamara and Nicolas Raskin emerged as potential options who could have arrived at Elland Road in January. The Whites also explored taking Lewis O’Brien from Huddersfield last summer, but ultimately chose against reviving a pursuit of the 23-year-old last month.
Bielsa also elected against accepting an offer for Leeds to loan Winks from Tottenham in a half-season transfer. Intermediaries made the England international available to the Whites for the rest of the season. But their Argentine head coach did not support his arrival.
Bielsa snubs Leeds loan transfer for Tottenham ace Winks
Leeds discussed their chance to sign Winks on loan from Tottenham with Bielsa, but he said no to his transfer. The Elland Road boss did not believe the Whites should sign any player in January he felt were unneeded or would struggle to play 100% at his demanding standards.
Winks’ future in north London had become increasingly uncertain before Spurs fired Nuno Espirito Santo in November. But the Evening Standard note Antonio Conte’s arrival and the 10-cap England midfielder’s upturn in form made Winks departing in January very unlikely.
Bielsa also shut one exit door for Winks by removing Leeds as a possible temporary transfer destination away from Tottenham. With the coach seemingly sceptical the Spurs product would offer an upgrade on his current options, despite Mauricio Pochettino’s prior praise.
“He deserves the praise because the whole action is amazing,” Pochettino told the Spurs website in 2019. “He recovered the ball like a full-back, we started to build from the back and then he arrived for the cross from GK, which was fantastic – we have to praise him too.
“It’s amazing, amazing, because we were talking in the last few weeks that he had to score and to have more presence in the opposition’s box because he has the quality to do it. I’m so happy [he scored a late winner at Fulham].”
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