Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been the talisman for Leeds United so far this season upon their return to the Premier League.
There were plenty of doubts from the Elland Road faithful when the forward switched Merseyside for West Yorkshire over the summer, but 10 Premier League goals and an England cap later, and the punt the 49ers took on Calvert-Lewin has been completley justified.
Despite Lukas Nmecha having an impressive ratio of minutes to goals, the German forward has been unable to displace Calvert-Lewin from the starting XI, with Nmecha even being shoehorned out on the left wing at times this season.
However, recent reports state that Leeds could be in the market for another striker in the summer, who would surely pose a threat to Calvert-Lewin’s place as one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Troy Parrott linked with Elland Road move – Calvert-Lewin may be worried
Parrott, 24, was again linked with a move to Leeds recently, with the Irishman enjoying an incredible campaign so far, scoring 28 times across all competitions.
Whilst netting for AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie is undoubtedly easier than scoring in a Premier League relegation scrap, Calvert-Lewin will be looking over his shoulder anxiously at the prospect of Parrott ending up training next to him at Thorp Arch this summer.
When Calvert-Lewin joined Leeds, he was handed the number nine shirt and presented as United’s main man up top, but this untouchable status at Leeds may only last one season if the competition for places heats up after the summer transfer window.
Because of the lack of alternatives at Daniel Farke’s disposal, Calvert-Lewin has kept his place in the Leeds team, despite scoring just one goal in his last nine Premier League outings.
If Leeds were able to land Parrott’s signature in the summer, Calvert-Lewin would certainly not be able to endure a goalscoring drought like this and still regularly be named in the team, increasing the pressure on the Englishman.
Data suggests Troy Parrott is far superior to Calvert-Lewin in one specific area
Whilst it is important to take all of Parrott’s goalscoring data with a pinch of salt when comparing him to Calvert-Lewin, due to the difference in the leagues they play in, the Irish striker certainly holds a major advantage over Calvert-Lewin in a particular area.
(Credit: DataMB)
Both forwards are similar when it comes to their aerial ability and their ability to win offensive duels, however the data suggests that Parrott is far more creative than Calvert-Lewin.
Whilst, in fairness to Calvert-Lewin, he has been an isolated figure at times, the United forward has only managed to record one Premier League assist this season, compared to Parrott’s three in the Eredivisie.
Furthermore, Parrott averages 0.9 key passes per game compared to Calvert-Lewin’s 0.6 (Sofascore), and it could be this creativity up front that Leeds are lacking when their strikers are not scoring.
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