BBC News: Leeds United make key transfer decision and launch new recruitment ahead of January window…

Transfers may have gone on the back burner with the closure of the summer window, but Leeds United are keen to bolster their recruitment department with a raft of vacancies. The hiring process is underway at Elland Road for a number of roles, the most senior of which is head of recruitment.

Victor Orta departed his director of football post in May after a disagreement over the sacking of Javi Gracia and took several pillars of the scouting department with him. After the Spaniard’s exit, Nick Hammond was appointed interim football advisor on June 15, before Gretar Steinsson’s arrival as technical director on July 18.

Now, the Whites want a new head of recruitment, along with scouts across the UK and Europe in the next phase of the football department’s restructure. When Steinsson was unveiled, chief executive Angus Kinnear also confirmed a broader management tree at Elland Road.

With Daniel Farke as manager rather than head coach, the German has absolute authority, but has worked closely with Steinsson, Hammond, Adam Underwood (head of football operations), Hannah Cox (head of football administration) and Rob Price (head of medicine and performance). The new head of recruitment would work closely with Farke and Steinsson, the club says.

Beneath the head of recruitment, United want scouts with an eye on France, Scandinavia, Germany, Holland, Belgium and across the UK. Technical scouts are also being targeted with an eye on data and trends to find players suitable for the Whites.

The recruitment drive comes three weeks after the closure of a summer transfer window which saw nine players arrive and 18 depart since the end of last season. While the new term is only eight games old, United are fifth in the table and enjoying the fruits of their summer transfer labours.

Hammond has been central to the work United have done in the summer, working alongside Kinnear, Farke and Steinsson. The former Newcastle United executive played a key role in the appointment of the manager too, sitting in on those interviews with the chief executive and chairman Paraag Marathe.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Hammond. When he was first appointed, the club said he had signed a short-term contract and would help them through the summer window.

A statement at the time said: “The process for finding a new, permanent, director of football at Leeds United is underway and the club aim to complete this process by October, allowing the successful candidate to focus on the January transfer window.