Paul Heckingbottom has insisted that Leeds United’s recruitment strategy in the summer transfer window should be aimed towards improving the starting eleven.
With another season winding down and Leeds not competing for a top six place again, the next transfer window is expected to be another crucial one for the Yorkshire giants.
Heckingbottom will be hoping to have his stamp on the squad before the start of the new campaign, but he has already ruled out wholesale changes to his current group of players.
The Leeds boss admits that a lot will depend on how many players the club managed to ship out in order to free up places in the squad, but he wants a definite strategy to their recruitment.
Heckingbottom wants to focus on improving the starting eleven by bringing in better players than he has got at the moment rather than just aiming to improve the numbers in the squad.
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Speaking about the summer window, the Leeds boss said on BBC Radio Leeds: “A lot will depend on how many we can get out.
“The simple way of looking at is who has performed. The eleven we had on Saturday for example plus the ones who have been big performers who are suspended and injured. So you may have 17 to 18 players who have contributed this season.
“And if you can manage to bring in four players who are better than the 18, it will significantly improve the group and the eleven.”
He further explained: “Bring five players in, you will significantly improve 50 per cent of the starting eleven then and that’s got to be the aim.
“If we are going to be bringing in minimum numbers, then you have got to improve the starting eleven, not just adding numbers to compete in the squad.
“The business you do has to improve your eleven.”
