Leeds United now have little choice but to bring in another striker this summer after allowing Joel Piroe to join West Ham, with Daniel Farke needing more attacking options alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The former Everton forward enjoyed an excellent first season at Elland Road, scoring 14 league goals and playing a major role in Leeds securing their Premier League status. But whenever Calvert-Lewin struggled for goals, Leeds lacked another reliable forward to take some of the pressure off him.
Piroe’s departure has made that problem even more obvious, and finding another centre-forward should now be one of Leeds’ biggest priorities before the window closes. Farke needs someone capable of competing with Calvert-Lewin for a starting place while also giving him the option of playing both strikers together.
Just as importantly, the new arrival needs to be good enough to lead the line when Calvert-Lewin is unavailable. With Piroe gone, Leeds cannot afford to go into the new Premier League season without adding another proven option up front.
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Leeds United must not sign £50m Premier League striker
Leeds will sign a striker before the end of the transfer window, but it is unclear who is their top target in the final weeks of the summer.
Burnley’s Zian Flemming has been heavily linked with a move to Elland Road. He scored 11 times in 21 starts in the Premier League last season despite playing for a team that suffered relegation.
However, Leeds are still rumoured to be interested in securing a deal for the signature of Chelsea striker Liam Delap.
He joined Chelsea last summer following an impressive campaign for Ipswich, but flattered to deceive at Stamford Bridge last season.
Delap scored just once in the Premier League and is not part of Xabi Alonso’s plans at Stamford Bridge.
He is training away from the rest of the Chelsea squad, but the Blues are still demanding a fee in the region of £40m for his departure.
Leeds must stay miles away from signing the Chelsea striker, as he looked distinctly average at Stamford Bridge last season.
He has the physicality to play in Farke’s team but is nowhere close to the goalscoring threat that Leeds need their strikers to have.
Even if Chelsea accept a loan offer, his wages are still too high, and he would be a major gamble for Leeds.
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Zian Flemming is a better option than Liam Delap
The 28-year-old Dutchman finished as Burnley’s top scorer in the Premier League last season, scoring 11 goals in just 29 appearances.
Flemming managed to stand out despite playing in a struggling side, which has understandably attracted interest from several Premier League clubs. If Leeds are weighing up their options for a new striker, he could represent a more convincing option than Liam Delap given his experience and proven record in the division.
Only Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored more league goals than Flemming among Leeds’ current squad last season, while Noah Okafor finished three goals behind the Burnley forward.
With Premier League experience already under his belt and a proven ability to find the net, Flemming looks like exactly the kind of striker Leeds should be considering before the transfer window closes.
Relax he would only be coming on loan. We don’t have 50 million to spend on one player. 49ers ain’t that daft.