Leeds United can land 17-goal striker for £4.2m as his camp drop ‘want to sign him’ claim

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For possibly the first time in his Leeds United career, questions are starting to be asked about the contributions of Manor Solomon.

Of course, these are questions which could be answered with a pretty simple solution. With Leeds United on a run of one win in five Championship games – with the previously influential Brenden Aaronson, Ao Tanaka and Dan James slipping off their usual standards – can Manor Solomon’s own downturn also be explained by a gruelling fixture schedule?

Undoubtedly, the Tottenham loanee was a shadow his old self as Leeds slipped up against Swansea last weekend. Solomon has not scored a goal or provided an assist now in seven Championship matches.

But, when you consider he has started every one of Leeds’ 15 league games since the turn of the year, a dip was maybe always going to happen at some point.

Suddenly, with automatic promotion now very much at risk, Farke’s reluctance to shuffle his pack during a packed fixture list is starting to look like a potentially season-defining mistake.

In contrast, the form of Solomon’s Israel team-mate – and reported Leeds target – Dor Turgeman is proof of the benefits of the odd rest here and there.

Dor Turgeman’s camp speak out as Leeds United face Burnley and Rangers battle

According to claims backed up this week by Israeli publication Hayom, Leeds have scouted Maccabi Tel Aviv forward Turgeman this term.

The goals looked to have dried up for him either side of the New Year. Yet, following a couple of games out of the starting XI, Dor Turgeman is now enjoying his best run of the entire campaign with eight goals in his last nine appearances and a Player of the Month award to boot.

He has helped put Maccabi Tel Aviv in pole position for the league title. In hindsight, Daniel Farke may feel he should have done what Maccabi boss Zarko Lazetic did and rotated his frontline with a little more regularity.

Hayom report that ‘there is a good chance’ Turgeman will join Solomon in European football over the summer. Sources close to Maccabi Tel Aviv insist that his departure ‘will not happen at any cost’, though a reported £4.2 million price-tag is unlikely to put Leeds off.

The report adds that CSKA Moscow, Celta Vigo and Stade Reims are also keen on the free-scoring 21-year-old. Burnley and Rangers scouted Turgeman during Israel’s 4-2 defeat by Norway in the March international break too, with the man in question opening his international account at the eighth time of asking.

“This is not the end of the list [of interested parties],” Turgeman’s camp explain. “There are several other teams from the five major [European] leagues that are following him and want to sign him in the summer.

“He has been under constant surveillance.”

Leeds in market for forwards as Manor Solomon decision looms

In all competitions, Turgeman now has 17 goals and six assists this season. He had been utilised wide on the right and on the left in the past – the latter the position Solomon has made his own at Elland Road – but has blossomed in a central striking role for Maccabi Tel Aviv of late.

Leeds are expected to consider reinforcing both up front and on the wing this summer.

Football correspondent Graeme Bailey told Leeds United News exclusively that the £15 million-rated Manor Solomon is expected to leave Tottenham Hotspur, though it remains to be seen what his recent struggles will mean for his future.

“I don’t believe Ange Postecoglou’s future will matter when it comes to Solomon,” Bailey said. “He will be allowed to leave. Leeds are keen to do it and firmly believe he will go.”

In the centre-forward department, Patrick Bamford is back to face Luton Town on Saturday but his contract expires in July. Mateo Joseph has also struggled to find the net consistently, helping to spark rumours with a host of potential striker signings.