Leeds United rely heavily on Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score, and when he doesn’t find the back of the net, the Whites struggle to make an impact in the final third.
Daniel Farke defended Lukas Nmecha’s record in recent weeks, but the striker clearly isn’t at the required level. The Frenchman is also angling for a move away from Elland Road.
Leeds clearly need a striker in the winter window to add more goals to their squad, and Farke has conceded that, at the moment, they lack the individual quality to break down teams happy to sit back against the Whites.
The recruitment team are working behind the scenes to identify potential targets, and they have been informed about a striker who almost joined one of Leeds’ Premier League rivals in the summer.
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Leeds made aware of 25-year-old striker’s availability
According to TeamTalk, Leeds are among the clubs informed about Monaco striker Folarin Balogun’s availability ahead of the winter window.
The 25-year-old striker’s proposed move to Everton collapsed on deadline day last summer, and he has struggled in Ligue 1 this season.
However, clubs remain interested in a striker who scored 19 goals last season and was impressive during the World Cup for the United States.
His agent, Jorge Mendes, is now working on getting him out of Monaco in the winter transfer window and has been in contact with several clubs.
Leeds have been spoken to by his representatives, and the striker is one of the players the club are closely monitoring ahead of the winter window.
Everton have also been contacted after the move collapsed last season, and even Newcastle and Manchester United are in the mix for Balogun ahead of January.
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Will Balogun suit Leeds?
Folarin Balogun could be a good fit for Leeds, particularly if Daniel Farke wants a mobile striker who can offer something different to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
His 13 Ligue 1 goals for Monaco last season are encouraging, but the underlying numbers make the case even stronger. He averaged 3.11 shots per 90 minutes, with 1.29 on target, ranking above 80 per cent of Ligue 1 forwards in both categories.
He also scored 10 non-penalty goals from 11.81 expected goals, suggesting he regularly got into promising positions, even if his finishing could improve.
There are caveats. Balogun is not particularly dominant in duels and offers limited defensive contribution, so he would need the right service and support. But his movement, willingness to shoot and proven goalscoring record in France make him an appealing option.
Leeds need another reliable source of goals, and Balogun has the profile to provide it.
