A new striker looks likely to join Leeds this month.
Leeds fans want Joel Piroe offloaded regardless as Leicester, Ipswich and Middlesbrough target the Dutchman, who could bring in a welcome chunk of cash this winter amid PSR issues at Elland Road.
Daniel Farke has also only given the Leeds No.10 a total of two Premier League starts, so a new frontman is on the agenda to help Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha in the second half of the campaign.
A story posted by Tutto Mercato Web on Saturday claimed that Leeds want Artem Dovbyk – and the Ukrainian has the potential to be much better in the Premier League than Piroe.
Leeds United could sign another Romelu Lukaku in Artem Dovbyk
The Italian news outlet state that Leeds are interested in the Ukraine international, and a loan move to the Premier League is ‘likely’ to happen this month after Gian Piero Gasperini handed him just three starts in Serie A this term.
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For the Leeds fans unsure of how Dovbyk plays, FBREF – a website ‘devoted’ to statistics – say that Romelu Lukaku is currently the most similar player to the Roma No.9 in football.
The Belgian impressively netted 121 goals in 278 Premier League appearances across spells at Chelsea, West Brom, Everton and Manchester United, proving he could handle himself in English football.
FBREF explain that Lukaku and Dovbyk – who Sunderland also want – are similar across the last 365 days mainly when it comes to progressive passing, averaging roughly six progressive passes every 90 minutes.
However, the pair are mostly similar due to the way they use their immense physical abilities to pin defenders and take advantage of aerial duels.
Considering only Arsenal have scored more goals from set-pieces than Leeds this season, a towering striker like the 6ft 2in Dovbyk could well thrive under Farke.
Loan deal ensures Leeds United can also afford to sign a defender
Taking Dovbyk – who Roma spent £26m to sign from Girona in August 2024 – on a loan deal with no obligation to buy seems too good to be true for Leeds if the 49ers can pull it off.
The man born in Cherkasy is still a good age for Leeds to consider a permanent summer deal should a loan go well too – he is only 28 and should be in his prime years.
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Furthermore, a loan deal ensures Leeds can also afford to sign a defender and maybe bolster another position too amid financial restrictions caused by PSR.
Leeds want to sign Danilho Doekhi after Joe Rodon’s ankle injury – and possibly another central midfielder amid links to Joe Willock and James McAtee.
Ultimately, Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha are performing well, so the 49ers have no need to spend heavily to sign depth in the striker department, especially when loan deals like a move for Dovbyk are possible.
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