Leeds United head coach Steve Evans has revealed that at 7pm on transfer deadline day he thought he had secured two strikers.
The Whites, who swelled their coffers by selling Sam Byram to West Ham for £3.7m in January, ended up empty handed on deadline day, despite Evans having continually insisted they needed to strengthen.
Indeed, rather than being continually linked with players as the clock ticked down, the stories concentrated on whether Mirco Antenucci would leave Elland Road.
Antenucci wanted to exit the club, amid interest from Italy, but Leeds prevented his departure.
On the incomings front, Evans insists that he thought he had secured two strikers for Leeds, only for the deals to fall through.
relatedNewsStory
"I was at Elland Road until 10pm on Monday. That was the first time it became obvious that things weren’t going to happen", Evans told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
"It’s fine lines in football and at about 7pm I thought we’d be signing two strikers.
"We’d lined up a three-and-a-half year deal for one and then a big offer for him came in from elsewhere. The other [one] didn’t make it either."
Evans admits that he felt down at not having been able to pull off transfers on deadline day, but he has refused to pin the blame at anyone on Elland Road for the deals not being done.
"I felt dejected, I can’t deny that, because we need strikers. Everyone can see it.
"People want players and I want players.
"We were that close and I can’t blame anyone because it wasn’t anyone’s fault. But I know it’s easy to say that and that the fans don’t want to hear that."
Leeds could yet add to their squad next week when the emergency loan window swings open amid talk of a move for Norwich City striker Kyle Lafferty.
