Senior Leeds United player attracting Red Bull interest heading into January | OneFootball

Max Wober is the subject of transfer speculation ahead of the January transfer window

Austrian outfit RB Salzburg are interested in bringing Leeds United defender Max Wober back to the club ahead of the January transfer window.

According to Kurier, the centre-back is one of two potential options for the Champions League side going into the new year.

Wober has struggled for game time at Elland Road this season, with the 26-year-old suffering injury issues, as well as falling behind in the pecking order of Daniel Farke’s team.

The defender spent the previous campaign on loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach, but has featured just twice in the Championship since returning to Yorkshire in the summer.

Max Wober transfer latest

Wober has been the subject of transfer speculation since Leeds initially suffered relegation from the Premier League in 2023.

A move to Mönchengladbach last season saw him play 25 times in the German top flight, helping Farke’s old club finish 14th in the table.

However, a return to Salzburg could be on the cards in 2025. Wober joined Leeds from BR Salzburg in January 2023 under Jesse Marsch in a reported £11m deal.

It has been reported that a January move is being worked on by the Austrian club, as they look to bolster their defensive options.

Salzburg have made a disappointing start to their Austrian Bundesliga campaign, with the team sitting seventh in the table after 13 games played.

Plans are already being put in place to make additions in the winter market in order to bolster their chances of climbing back up the standings in the second half of the season.

However, it remains to be seen whether Leeds would be willing to cash in on the centre-back given how few options they have in that area of their squad. The Red Bull crossover at both clubs also makes for an interesting narrative.

Leeds United’s defensive options

Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk have been Farke’s preferred options when everyone is available this season.

Wober had injury issues in the first-half of this season, and has recently undergone knee surgery, which has left the Whites short at the back. He has played as a left-back from the bench in recent wins over Swansea City and Luton Town.

Losing him on a permanent option in the new year could raise funds to purchase a replacement, but it remains unclear whether the Yorkshire outfit would be willing to sanction that, given they have other areas of their squad they need to focus on.

Leeds run risk cashing in on Wober

Leeds have survived Wober’s injury without any major issues at the back, but Rodon and Struijk have been reliable with their availability.

Ethan Ampadu can also be an option at centre-back, albeit only when he too returns from injury, so that could alleviate some of the depth concerns if Wober does leave.

Selling him would also get his wages off the books, and given his contract expires in 2026, Leeds will likely have to sell in the summer anyway.

However, considering a sale is a risk for Leeds. Can they really source a Wober-level player to cover centre-back and left-back in January? There's sense in a sale, but Farke wanting a quiet January transfer window might just block any exit.