Would Leeds United have reached the play-offs had Bournemouth’s Lewis Grabban joined them and not Reading in January?
Lewis Grabban’s second spell at Bournemouth is coming to an end and, despite failing to score a single league goal since returning from Norwich City for a hefty £8 million in January last year, Sunderland are still willing to take a chance on him.
Grabban scored just three goals on loan at Reading last season – though all of them were crucial
Sunderland are in desperate need of a new goalscorer after the loss of Jermain Defoe, not to mention Fabio Borini and Victor Anichebe. And they will be hoping that Grabban can rediscover the form that saw him find the net regularly in the Championship during a prolific first spell at Bournemouth.
However, you wonder whether Leeds United are making the same mistake again. According to The Express, Leeds were interested in signing the 29-year-old in the January transfer window, only for Reading to swoop in and seal a six-month loan.
And while The Royals reached the play-off final, Grabban scoring crucial goals against Aston Villa, Rotherham and Burton to secure their place in the top six, Leeds missed out altogether.
Promotion booster?
A lack of support for Championship Golden Boot winner Chris Wood is largely identified as a major factor in Leeds’ late-season collapse, culminating with four defeats in April alone, three of which Garry Monk’s side failed to find the net.
And though the new recruitment team lead by technical director Victor Orta has attempted to solve the issue, the signings of Caleb Ekuban, who shone in Albania last season, and Spanish lower-league journeyman Samu Saiz could go either way.
Grabban, however, is a proven Championship striker who could make a major impact at Sunderland. If Leeds’ imported newbies fail to make the required impact, will they regret failing to land Grabban again?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
