Leeds United are after a Premier League level striker this summer to lead the line following promotion from the Championship.
The problem for Leeds United is that Joel Piroe lacks the speed and athleticism to be the main attacker, even after scoring 19 goals to win the golden boot last season.
Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford both possess more of the attributes for a modern-day centre-forward, but the former lacks experience and needs development and the latter cannot be relied upon in terms of fitness.
Lukas Nmecha is an excellent profile fit for the Whites but the 26-year-old has struggled with more injury issues than Patrick Bamford in the last few seasons.
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Ricardo Pepi could pave the way for Leeds to sign Rodrigo Muniz
Rodrigo Muniz has emerged as an option for Leeds recently but Fulham first set a £50 million Muniz valuation on his head this summer.
A move looks like a difficult deal to complete, with Fulham fans ridiculing the idea of Muniz’s departure to Leeds, especially as it would perhaps take a club-record deal for Muniz to join Leeds.
That would mean Leeds spending around £35 million+ on Muniz, but the first bid for Muniz has been rejected already by Fulham today.
Leeds offered them £32 million for Muniz but now could return with a fresh offer. There is hope a deal is there to be done thanks to Fabrizio Romano’s latest reveal.
Fulham have Raul Jimenez but the transfer guru believes the Cottagers will add to their striker pool if they can secure a deal for PSV centre-forward Ricardo Pepi.
The transfer dominoes could fall into place, with Pepi then taking Muniz’s spot in the squad to allow the Brazilian to leave and join Leeds.
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Rodrigo Muniz’s recent output suggests he is ready to start Premier League games
Muniz rivals Erling Haaland in one sense after his goal return over the last 18 months has exploded. Muniz’s development in that time has been particularly impressive.
The 24-year-old has scored 20 and assisted three in his last 55 games for Fulham since January 2024, which includes just 13 starts in 2024/25 as well.
| Team | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Flamengo | 32 | 10 | 1 |
| Coritiba (loan) | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Fulham | 97 | 26 | 3 |
| Middlesbrough (loan) | 17 | 2 | 0 |
His current trajectory suggests he is about to be handed more games by Marco Silva or be sent elsewhere for an expensive transfer fee, with Muniz now needing to play regularly.
He cannot play second fiddle to Jimenez and Pepi any longer and regular first-team game time is now paramount.
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