Leeds United shuffled the pack in attack before this season began. Their group of attackers from last season was dismantled before a ball was kicked in the Premier League.
Out went Mateo Joseph, Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon, with the Whites signing Noah Okafor, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha. And for all the complaints by the fans at the end of the summer window, the trio of Okafor, Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha have delivered. The trio are currently the top scoring players in all competitions so far.
Juventus have a plan for Leeds target
But there have been periods this season that the team have needed more firepower. Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha and Okafor seem to be the only players who can contribute to goals. From January the goalscoring fell off a cliff, with Leeds struggling to score goals in key games. This lead to reports that the club would add a striker in the coming summer window.
And following reports over the last few weeks, it looks like Juventus star Lois Openda is the main priority. The Belgian joined the Italian side on loan with an obligation to buy from RB Liepzig. He cost Juventus around £35 million, but his performances this season have been terrible. Openda has just one league goal this season.
Reports in Italy have confirmed that Juventus do not have plans for him heading into next season, which opens the door for Leeds United. Quotidiano Sportivo have revealed that the plan is to loan out Lois Openda this summer, hoping he performs well in order to sell him in 2027. And so far the Whites seem to be the main team to show interest.
Whites cannot afford to take risk
Lois Openda would be a huge risk for Leeds United; his production has fallen off a cliff over the last couple of seasons. He is no longer that player that scored 28 goals in all competitions a few seasons ago. And with Juventus keen to offload him, any potential deal would be a bad idea. The Italian side want to sell him, and will most likely push for a loan with an obligation to buy. Juventus will push to recoup as much of the £35 million as possible, which is more than Leeds have paid for one player in the last two to three years. The 49ers must avoid a potential deal at all costs and look at other targets.
