Leeds United could well travel to Bristol City this coming Friday with no new additions to show for their January transfer window business, Daniel Farke potentially risking it all and opting to rely on the group he already has at his disposal instead of splashing the cash.
Yet, there could well still be various twists and turns awaiting the Whites with the potential for last-ditch deals to still get over the line before the window officially slams shut on the West Yorkshire titans tomorrow.
With Farke and Co potentially trying to get transfers in right until the death at an anxiety-ridden Elland Road, the Championship promotion hopefuls could strike gold by landing this defender who could prove to be their very own Jarrad Branthwaite.
Leeds going in for Premier League colossus
Football journalist Alan Nixon has reported recently that Leeds are very much interested in bringing Nottingham Forest captain Joe Worrall to the club, the 6 foot 4 colossus a decorated servant at the City Ground by notching up an impressive 226 appearances to date but appears to be heading for the exit door.
Only starting five games this campaign for Forest – with his last full 90 minutes coming against Burnley in September last year – Leeds could offer Worrall more first-team opportunities to bolster their back four.
With a fee of £6m reported to be enough to land the out-of-favour 27-year-old in a last-gasp move, it would be a bittersweet severing of the ties for Worrall to walk away from his boyhood club.
Yet, Leeds would land an exceptional defender for the level if a move could be pulled off with the authoritative centre-back even displaying shades of Everton star Branthwaite's game when selected – the breakthrough Toffees centre-back an in-demand property himself this window.
How Joe Worrall compares to Jarrad Branthwaite
Casting an eye over FBRef, Worrall and Branthwaite have various similarities in the way they conduct themselves on a football pitch, with the two players noted as similar players, as per the stat-based website's comparison model. Unsurprisingly, this should make Leeds even more excited at the prospect of landing their £50k per week target.
Both are classy operators of the ball, with Worrall coming in at an 84.1% pass completion percentage per 90 minutes over the last year compared to Branthwaite's slightly lesser 78.1%.
With Leeds excelling at playing out from the back slowly before finding eventual holes in the opposition this season – Joe Rodon averaging a 91% pass accuracy at the heart of defence so far – Worrall would slot straight into the Whites first team rather effortlessly.
Moreover, both defenders go toe-to-toe when it comes to shot-creating actions – the 27-year-old Forest man coming in at 0.62 shot-creating actions to Branthwaite's slightly higher 0.74. The table below helps to further showcase their similarities.
Tackles won
1.02
1.11
Aerials won
2.45
2.58
Carries
21.4
21.1
Completed passes
28.2
29.6
Passes into final 3rd
1.02
1.58
Progressive passes
1.63
1.84
With Branthwaite plying his trade in the EFL before exploding into life when a move to Everton came about, Leeds will hope Worrall can smoothly transition back to the demands of Championship football on the contrary after playing his part in Forest staying up last season in the division above.
As there's still no expected date for when Pascal Struijk will return from a recently sustained injury blow – leaving Leeds to field Whites veteran Liam Cooper in the FA Cup last match – signing Worrall before the closing of the window feels like a sensible decision to make.
Farke will know what it takes to win promotion up to the Premier League as was showcased in his multiple heroics at Norwich City, but new reinforcements here and there would significantly boost his side's chances regardless.
Worrall, in particular, could well prove to be a shrewd bit of business that enables Leeds to make that next step up again to the top flight.