The Whites recorded a fifth successive win of 2024 on Wednesday evening, defeating Farke’s former side Norwich City 1-0 in the Championship thanks to a Patrick Bamford header.
The win takes Leeds closer to Ipswich Town and Southampton in the race for automatic promotion, with attention now on the transfer market and an FA Cup fourth-round clash with Plymouth Argyle on the weekend. Talking previously about transfers, Farke has hinted at the need for additions at the back, saying:
“We could do with more numbers in defensive positions. But in the last weeks, there was a chance for other players to step up – like [Junior] Firpo and [Ilia] Gruev.
“I won’t lie. A few additions in defensive positions would be helpful. But it has to make sense for us. If not, we go with what we’ve got and I trust my group. We are in a good position. We didn’t win it in the lottery. We won it with good development.”
A few defenders who have been linked with a move to Yorkshire include Tottenham Hotspur’s Ben Davies, West Ham’s Ben Johnson and Burnley’s Connor Roberts.
Ben Godfrey of Everton has also been mentioned as a target, and there has been a new transfer development regarding the 26-year-old.
According to Football Insider, Leeds ‘have opened preliminary talks about a loan-to-buy deal’ for Godfrey, who pockets £75,000-a-week on Merseyside. Sean Dyche has given the green light for the centre-back to leave Goodison Park, with the Whites now in talks with the Toffees.
Godfrey, who has played everywhere across the backline and even as a holding midfielder during his career, was part of Farke’s Norwich side that won the Championship title on two separate occasions, making 72 appearances under the German.
He hasn’t featured much for the Toffees this season, though, turning out just twice in the Premier League, so a reunion with Farke in the second tier could appeal to Godfrey, hailed as a “monster” in the media.
He’d provide cover in a number of defensive positions and it could also allow Ethan Ampdau to return to midfield, with Farke previously hailing Godfrey, saying:
“You can speak about the best centre-backs in the world now but at 19 and 20 they will have made mistakes. The best ones learn. Ben is playing without mistakes and that is outstanding.
“He is a pretty emotional player and I like that a lot because it means you are capable of finding another gear. When he played in the holding [midfield] role he was able to drag his team through, but playing at centre-back if we are losing or having a difficult period and he starts to get the red mist we have to calm him down.
A move could be one to keep an eye on, although Fabrizio Romano has added that Genoa are also keen on the Everton man.
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