Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford is reportedly on Blackburn Rovers manager John Eustace’s radar as part of a broader list of potential targets.

While Leeds boss Daniel Farke is primarily focused on preparations for Sunday’s clash with Sheffield Wednesday, he’s likely also keeping an eye on potential transfer activity.

Despite the club’s insistence that January will be a quiet month, there are still a few areas in the squad that may need addressing.

Journalist Alan Nixon shared on his Patreon that Blackburn Rovers are monitoring Bamford for a potential move. The 31-year-old striker, however, is sidelined for the rest of January due to a hamstring injury sustained against Blackburn on New Year’s Day.

Despite this setback, the playoff hopefuls are keen to strengthen their squad as they aim to cement their spot in the top six.

Bamford has had limited impact in the Championship this season, playing just 123 minutes without scoring or assisting. Last season, he netted eight goals, all in the latter half of the campaign.

When asked about the possibility of signing Bamford, Eustace remained tight-lipped but did confirm that the player is being monitored as a potential addition to the squad this month.

He said (via the Lancashire Telegraph):

“Patrick is a very good player, I played with him at Derby, a long time ago when he started out.

“He’s a consistent performer at this level, he plays for a huge club in Leeds. But there will be lots of names thrown towards me and I’ll just say they’re good players.

“You’d have to ask the club. He’s a player on a long list that we have looked at and we’ll have to see.”

Leeds United’s apparent interest in strikers this January could hint at the 49ers’ willingness to part ways with Patrick Bamford.

However, it’s unlikely that Daniel Farke sees it that way, especially with Joe Gelhardt heading out on loan this week. Leeds need greater consistency from their attacking options, and neither Joel Piroe nor Mateo Joseph has been fully delivering on that front.

While Piroe’s 10 goals and five assists are undeniably impressive, his style of play highlights the need for a true focal point up front—a classic number nine that Leeds might look to secure this month.

For Bamford, if a move does happen, it could be the fresh start he needs. His prospects of rediscovering his best form at Elland Road appear slim, making this a potentially ideal time for a change.

With the January transfer window approaching, Arsenal could be active in strengthening their squad.

The Gunners have a few areas that require reinforcement, including the need for a new striker. Recent links have connected them to Alexander Isak, and a new goalkeeper may also be on their radar.

Arsenal had considered signing Joan Garcia in the summer, but the deal fell through, and while Neto joined on loan, the Brazilian is not viewed as a long-term option.

Steve Kay recently spoke on KS1 TV about Arsenal’s potential January transfer moves, mentioning that he has heard Illan Meslier of Leeds United could be a target for the Gunners.

While Kay noted that he hasn’t received this information from a top source, it is a situation worth monitoring.

“Is there any other transfer stories about at the moment?” Kay was asked.

“There’s a few. Arsenal are looking at a goalkeeper. Possibly a goalkeeper could come in in January. I have been given a name. The Leeds goalkeeper is someone I’ve been told. I need to look into that. It’s not from one of my top sources if you like, but it’s one we’re keeping an eye on. Illan Meslier,” Kay said.

Meslier is a goalkeeper with both strengths and weaknesses.

The £5m-rated player has made some errors in the past and has faced significant criticism. However, he is a skilled shot-stopper, and throughout his time in the Premier League, he often played behind a team under heavy pressure.

Under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch, Leeds’ aggressive playing style led to numerous shots on goal, and while Meslier conceded many, he also managed to save several.

Notably, former Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has defended Meslier against some of the criticism he received during his Premier League career.

“When we played Leeds away Meslier has made five or six saves first half but they were 3-0 down,” Ramsdale said.

“Nobody was mentioning his saves, they mentioned one of the goals which he might have done better for.

“If you get 10 shots at you, more times than not you’re going to let one in, but that’s what people always talk about. That’s for another day, but that winds me up.”

Meslier is far from a bad goalkeeper, and both Tottenham and Manchester United have previously shown interest in him.

He has informed Leeds that he plans to leave if they fail to secure promotion by the end of the season, as he has aspirations of becoming France’s number one goalkeeper for the 2026 World Cup.

However, if Leeds are promoted, Meslier is open to negotiating a new contract.

Rennes are interested in him, but Meslier believes he has the potential to join a top-tier club. He does want to be a first-choice goalkeeper at his next destination, which could pose a challenge at Arsenal due to David Raya’s position as the current number one.

Red Bull Salzburg’s sporting director, Rouven Schroder, has dismissed the possibility of a January move for Max Wober, citing the Leeds United defender’s price tag as a significant hurdle.

Wober has recently been linked with a potential return to Salzburg, with Schroder acknowledging the 26-year-old alongside Feyenoord’s Gernot Trauner as “two very good players.” However, he emphasized that Salzburg will “carefully evaluate transfers,” tempering expectations.

Speculation about a move gained momentum after Salzburger Nachrichten suggested that “only details need to be finalized” for the transfer to go through. However, over the weekend, Schroder publicly addressed the rumors again, seemingly aiming to dampen the ongoing chatter.

“Wober is one of three central defenders at Leeds and they have maximum ambitions to get into the Premier League. It will be difficult to put the money on the table,” Schroder told Austrian outlet Laola1. “[He is] not a hot commodity at the moment. It has nothing to do with the player, he’s top. We may have to take a more modest approach and make a clever loan transfer.”

Speculation around Max Wober’s future emerged during a period when he struggled for involvement at Leeds, with his path to the first team blocked by the standout performances of Pascal Struijk and Junior Firpo. However, Firpo’s serious hamstring injury earlier this month, ruling him out until the New Year, has opened the door for Wober to step up.

Wober seized the opportunity, coming on to replace Firpo against Derby County and scoring Leeds’ second goal with a well-timed run and finish from close range. He then played a full 90 minutes for the first time this season in Leeds’ 3-1 victory over Middlesbrough last week.

The Austrian international showcased his defensive capabilities under the lights at Elland Road, particularly in handling the lively Ben Doak, despite an unfortunate own-goal. His contributions, both offensively and defensively, highlight his growing impact as he reflects on his goal against Derby and his recent return to Elland Road.

Wober said: “It was a really good feeling. A lot of relief. Struggling a lot this season, and now finally getting some minutes, and then scoring feels amazing.”

The Austrian international was sidelined for Saturday’s match against Preston due to knee swelling but is set to be the first-choice left-back while Firpo is out. Manager Daniel Farke eased concerns about the injury during his pre-game press conference and praised Wober’s ambition to progress in his attacking game.

“I think [the performance vs Derby was important for Wober], last season was not the easiest for him away on loan,” Farke admitted recently. “The start of the season was more or less injury after injury. Today a cold start, I think he was a bit nervous without a warm up but I think he was excellent. He was greedy to do the run and if you do the run sometimes you’re rewarded and you can celebrate. I liked his attitude. Good that he came through this 70 minutes and it will give him a big boost and for his confidence.”