Leeds United failed in their attempts to sign a striker in the January transfer window and now yet another of their potential targets has gone on to impress at a new club.
It was a quiet January transfer window for Leeds United that ended with no new recruits as Joe Gelhardt’s loan move to Hull City was the only major change to the squad.
Daniel Farke was non-plussed by the lack of signings and predicted as much ahead of the window but would have liked to have recruited some additional firepower for the Championship run-in.
With Gelhardt gone and Patrick Bamford struggling with injury, Leeds only have Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph as reliable options up-front.
The club looked to remedy that by bringing in a striker at the end of the window, with Southampton’s Cameron Archer emerging as the top target.
That move proved to be in vain as Archer remained on the South Coast and he wasn’t the only name Leeds were linked with but failed to sign.
There was fellow Southampton striker Adam Armstrong and Middlesbrough’s Emmanuel Latte Lath, who both moved elsewhere and scored on their debuts.
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Emmanuel Latte Lath scores twice on Atlanta United debut
Leeds were briefly linked with Archer’s Southampton teammate Armstrong but he instead joined West Brom on loan after the deadline.
Armstrong went on to score on his debut in a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday, on the same day Leeds failed to score against Millwall in the FA Cup.
Now Leeds have been left with yet more transfer regret after Latte Lath made a big splash on his debut for Atlanta.
Leeds were linked with Latte Lath from the start of the January window but always faced stiff competition given Premier League clubs were said to be interested.
However, when Middlesbrough’s asking price of £15-20m for Latter Lath emerged a transfer immediately seemed unlikely.
Atlanta United had no qualms about meeting that asking price and signed Latte Lath in an MLS record £17.75m transfer.
The Ivorian is already repaying his price tag after bagging a brace on his debut as Atlanta defeated Montreal 3-2 in their opening game of the new MLS season.
Latte Lath scored the opener with a towering header at a corner and got his second to put his new team back in front when he capitalised on poor goalkeeping to poke home.
Latte Lath outshines Leeds legend Mateusz Klich on debut
Atlanta splashed the cash in January as alongside Latte Lath they also brought former player Miguel Almiron back to the club from Newcastle United for £10m.
Additionally, Leeds legend Mateusz Klich was brought in on loan from D.C. United to bring yet more experience and quality to the side.
Yet, it was Latte Lath who shone brightest in the opening game of the season with Atlanta’s official report naming him as the ‘standout’ performer.
They wrote: “He scored and showed out in his debut. The centre-forward lived up to his reputation as a fast player.
“Anytime Latte Lath was involved in the play, it developed quickly, whether with the ball at his feet or setting up a teammate or the other team having to move the ball because of his pressure.
“He was incredibly dangerous taking players on 1v1, as we saw in the early moments of the match when fullback Matt Edwards played a ball vertically into space that allowed Latte Lath to run on.
“The centre-forward dribbled and made a stepover move before putting a shot on frame that forced a save from the Montreal goalkeeper Sirois.”
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