Leeds United's bold first January transfer could be £13m bargain who West Ham wanted last summer

Leeds United have adapted well to life in the Premier League this season following their promotion from Championship last year. Daniel Farke's side have been in impressive form over recent times and will want to keep their momentum going for as long as possible. They beat Fulham 1-0 at home last time out with Lukas Nmecha scoring a late winner.

The Whites have until the end of the January transfer window to bring in some new faces. They also have the opportunity to let some players head out the exit door this winter as well if needed before the deadline on Monday 2nd February. Farke's men are back in action on Monday 26th January against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Leeds United want move for Werder Bremen ace Romano Schmid

Leeds are keen on a move for Werder Bremen ace Romano Schmid this month. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano on X, they are in talks over a £13 million deal for the Bundesliga man. He was linked with West Ham and Fulham last summer but nothing materialised in the end and he stayed put where he was.

Schmid, 25, is an Austria international with 31 caps under his belt for his country to date. He has been on the books of his current club since joining them back in 2019 and he has been a good servant. His contract expires in 2027 meaning he is due to become a free agent next year as things stand.

Werder Bremen risk losing him for free if they don't cash in soon, assuming he doesn't pen an extension anytime soon. He has made 175 appearances for them in all competitions to date, 18 of which have come in this campaign, and he has scored 16 goals. Schmid is versatile and can play in an attacking midfield role, as well as on either flanks if needed.

The Graz-born man started out at Sturm Graz and rose up through the academy of his local team. He was a regular for them at various different youth levels before breaking into their first-team. Red Bull Salzburg then lured him away in 2017 and he spent two years with the Austrian Bundesliga outfit before his switch to the Wederstadion six years ago.

Would Werder Bremen playmaker Romano Schmid suit Leeds United?

Leeds could do with some more depth in their squad and Schmid seems to be a dependable player for Werder Bremen. He has played a lot of football over in Germany and appears to be a robust and reliable operator. The playmaker has proved himself overseas and may now want to test himself in England and sink his teeth into a new challenge at Elland Road.

The fact his deal runs out soon means it wouldn't be a surprise to see him head out the exit door before of the month. A fee of just £13m would be a steal in today's mark and wouldn't break the bank for the Whites. That would free up funds to acquire other targets.

If Schmid made the transfer to West Yorkshire, he would give Farke more competition and depth and another option to pick from in behind the striker. He could battle it out with Brenden Aaronson for a place in the starting XI. In addition, he can provide something different and inject some more quality into their side.

Leeds fans will get the chance to visit Everton's new stadium in their next fixture. In the meantime, the club have the chance to freshen things up with reinforcements. Time will tell whether they will have some new players through the door in time for their trip to Merseyside.