The January transfer window is due to slam shut on Thursday night and Leeds United are yet to complete a signing to bolster their first-team squad.
Daniel Farke's side are currently competing to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and are two points adrift of the top two places as it stands.
Leicester
1
28
66
Ipswich
2
28
59
Southampton
3
28
58
Leeds
4
29
57
West Brom
5
28
45
Coventry
6
28
43
As you can see in the current Championship table, the Whites have played one more match than their direct rivals, thanks to their 1-0 win over Norwich last week at Elland Road, and could be five points off the automatic places if Ipswich win their game in hand.
Teams around Leeds have dipped into the market to bolster their respective squads, with the Tractor Boys snapping up reported Whites target Ali Al-Hamadi from AFC Wimbledon and Southampton have signed David Brooks on loan from Bournemouth.
Latest Leeds transfer news
The Yorkshire-based outfit are now reportedly looking to make moves of their own to provide Farke with more quality options to work with during the second half of the season.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Whites are set to battle it out to land a last-gasp deal to bring Nottingham Forest central defender Joe Worrall to Elland Road.
The reporter claims that Leeds and Sheffield United are both in the "chase" to land the English enforcer, who has seemingly fallen out of favour at the City Ground.
Nixon adds that Forest are looking for a fee within the region of £6m to allow the towering ace to depart the club before the window slams shut on Thursday.
However, it remains to be seen whether Sheffield United or Leeds are prepared to pay that to land his services ahead of the second half of the campaign.
For Farke's side, a loan deal with an option or obligation to buy upon promotion to the Premier League could make more sense. That would protect them from spending £6m on a player and then being financially burdened by that decision if they fail to achieve their goal this season.
However, Forest are, of course, entitled to make the final decision on his future and they may not want to loan him out with the prospect of a return at the end of the season if the club he joins opt against a permanent move or fail to earn promotion.
Worrall could, though, be an excellent signing for Leeds if they are able to fight off Premier League competition from the Blades to land his signature before the deadline, as he could be Joe Rodon 2.0 for Farke.
Joe Rodon's defensive dominance
The Wales international joined on a season-long loan from top-flight giants Tottenham Hotspur last summer and has hit the ground running in Yorkshire.
It did not take long for the Welsh colossus to find his feet at Elland Road as he quickly established himself as a regular starter and key performer for Farke at the heart of the defence.
The 26-year-old ace has started 25 of the club's 29 Championship matches so far this term, and has partnered the likes of Pascal Struijk, Liam Cooper, and Ethan Ampadu at times.
Rodon has been akin to a brick wall at the back for Leeds with a duel success rate of 68%. He has won 68% of his battles on the ground and 68% of his aerial contests in the division, which shows that the Welsh gem has dominated opposition attackers on the floor and in the air.
The Spurs loanee has also showcased his quality in possession as he currently ranks within the top 18% of Championship centre-backs for progressive passes (4.43) per 90.
These statistics show that Rodon has been impressive in and out of possession with his strong defending and progressive play on the ball to find his teammates in dangerous positions to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.
The stats that show why Worrall could be Rodon 2.0
Farke could repeat the blinder he played with the signing of the Welsh monster by bringing in Worrall, who is a proven Championship performer.
The 27-year-old has only started five Premier League matches this season and Leeds could offer him a chance to drop down a division to play regular football over the next five months.
Appearances
30
Starts
21
Error led to goal
Zero
Ground duel success rate
59%
Aerial duel success rate
63%
His performances for Forest in the second tier during the 2021/22 promotion-winning campaign for the Tricky Trees suggest that he has the quality to be Rodon 2.0 for the Whites.
Worrall, who was once lauded as "incredible" by ex-boss Steve Cooper, started 39 of their league matches and caught the eye with his contributions on and off the ball for his side as they went on to win the play-offs.
The Forest star won 63% of his duels, including 66% of his battles on the deck, throughout the campaign and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game.
This shows that, like Rodon, the English colossus has the defensive quality and physical strength to dominate opposition attackers on the floor and in the air at this level.
Worrall also has the quality on the ball to progress play out from the back to build attacks for his side. He ranked within the top 9% of Championship centre-backs for progressive passes (4.56) per 90, and the top 21% for progressive carries (1.26) per 90.
These statistics show that he was one of the outstanding defenders in the division when it came to progressing the ball forward from a centre-back position.
He could, therefore, be perfect for Farke's possession-based style as the 6 foot 4 giant has the quality to consistently break lines and play passes forward to the likes of Georgino Rutter and Crysencio Summerville to make things happen in the final third.
Worrall has the ability, as a defender and a passer, to be Rodon 2.0 for the German head coach in the Championship and the two defenders could either compete for a place or form a dominant partnership at Elland Road.