Leeds United put a hectic Deadline Day firmly to the back of their mind when returning to the bread and butter of Championship action on Friday night, beating Bristol City 1-0 at Ashton Gate courtesy of a second half Wilfried Gnonto strike.
Despite not strengthening in the centre-back areas – with talk that Ben Godfrey was a transfer target – the defensive duo of Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu showed to everyone that new reinforcements might not have been necessary anyway.
Rodon in particular impressed with 103 touches of the ball amassed in a measured display from the Welshman on Friday night.
Daniel Farke and Co might not have splashed the cash on another centre-back cover owing to the crop of young talent currently coming through in West Yorkshire also, with one starlet having the potential to break into the Whites first-team set-up soon as a Ben Godfrey-like figure.
Kris Moore's statistics as youth level
More than capable of doing a job at both centre-back and right-back, much like the Toffees defender Leeds failed to land, Kris Moore has been a star at youth level for some time now at Elland Road.
The 20-year-old has shone in the U21s fold predominantly at right-back this season, even helping himself to a goal and an assist in one game against Reading in September with Leeds still losing 3-2 despite Moore's best efforts.
In total for the U21s after rising through the youth ranks – with Moore now wearing the captain's armband as a leader in the group – the young Whites defender has accumulated 59 appearances over four campaigns with three goals and four assists registered.
Described as being a "solid" defender by football journalist Joe Donnohue when playing for the academy sides previously, Farke could be tempted to give the 20-year-old opportunities to impress in the first-team fold in the near future.
It's not as if the German boss is afraid to give youth a go either, as seen in 17-year-old Archie Gray becoming a regular first-teamer, whilst Moore will want to just finally taste senior action after being teased with a senior debut under ex-Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa.
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ByJack Salveson HolmesFeb 2, 2024 Moore's statistics at senior level
Named on the bench four times by the iconic Argentine manager during Leeds' 2021/22 season, Moore wasn't ever afforded an actual run-out despite making up the numbers regularly on the bench.
Yet, his time could well come to shine under Farke if the Whites boss wants a versatile and adaptable defensive presence similar to Godfrey.
Moore is obviously way off Godfrey currently as a raw youngster still learning the ropes, but the 20-year-old will view the Everton man's career as one he would want to ideally replicate.
The imposing 6-foot defender rose through the ranks to become a cemented first-team star at Norwich City, with the Toffees then paying an extortionate £25m fee to land his services back in 2020 after he had become a crucial cog in the Canaries winning promotion to the Premier League.
Farke was his Norwich manager at the time funnily enough, hence the eagerness for a reunion this window, but no move was forthcoming.
This transfer falling flat would have hurt even more after Godfrey returned to the Toffees first team fold with flying colours amidst all the speculation, winning four tackles as Sean Dyche's men valiantly battled to a 0-0 draw away at Fulham the night before Deadline Day.
If Moore can continue just plugging away in the youth set-up at Leeds and excelling however, it might well not be long before Farke gambles on the 20-year-old to come into the first-team and become his brand-new Godfrey over time.