Five ‘under the radar’ World Cup signings Leeds United…

Five ‘under the radar’ World Cup signings Leeds United could make in January transfer window

Leeds United may be on a month-long break from competitive action but that does not stop preparations ahead of the January transfer window. An unprecedented winter World Cup is providing players with the perfect opportunity to put themselves in the shop window.

It is easy to forget there is an ongoing Premier League season set to restart in four weeks’ time. With Leeds sitting two points above the relegation zone, reinforcements could be the difference between relegation and survival.

A negative net spend in the summer - owing to the sales of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha - should leave plenty of wriggle room to manoeuvre in January. Ahead of the transfer window, LeedsLive have profiled five players potential “under the radar” signings who could star at the World Cup.

Mehdi Taremi

Iran’s talisman scored twice against England in their Group B opener. A striker with a solid all-round game, Taremi comes from good stock, having led the line for Porto since 2020.

An impressive 62 goals in 115 games for the Portuguese giants points towards a reliable striker - an asset Leeds have lacked in recent years. Patrick Bamford’s injury woes continue to plague the Whites and Taremi, at 30, could offer an alternative for a couple of seasons.

Daichi Kamada

The diminutive attacking midfielder helped Japan shock Germany in their opening group game. Ironically, the Bundesliga is where Kamada plies his trade at club level for Eintracht Frankfurt.

Leeds could capitalise on the 26-year-old’s contract situation as he is available for nothing next summer. A player to keep an eye on should Japan continue to surprise.

Angelo Preciado

Valued at just £3million by transfermarkt.com, Preciado earned a spot in WhoScored’s “team of the round” after Ecuador’s win over Qatar. The 24-year-old is a seasoned international, with 26 caps to his name despite his tender age.

While the Netherlands and Senegal should provide sterner tests, Preciado is well-placed to have a fruitful tournament.

Boulaye Dia

Sadio Mane’s pre-tournament injury crippled Senegal and has placed a heavy goalscoring burden on Dia. He fired a blank against the Netherlands but could fare better against Qatar and Ecuador.

Similarly to Taremi, the lack of first-class striker options at Elland Road makes Dia an appealing option should he set this tournament alight. Handling the pressure of leading Senegal's attack appears his biggest obstacle to overcome.

Sasa Lukic

Reports have already linked Leeds with the Torino midfielder, who featured in Serbia’s 2-0 defeat to Brazil. It is understood Roma are also chasing Lukic, a player valued at around £15million.

A defensive midfielder, Lukic enjoyed his best goalscoring season last year, with four, and is featuring at his first major international tournament.