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Five goals in three games, Mbaye Diagne shows Leeds what they’re missing

Leeds fans celebrate their team's victory during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leeds United and Derby County at Elland Road on November 29...
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Championship leaders Leeds United were reportedly in talks to bring Kasimpasa striker Mbaye Diagne to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

Leeds United's Patrick Bamford under pressure from Swansea City's Mike van der Hoorn during the Sky Bet Championship match between  City and Leeds United at Liberty Stadium on August 21,...

Patrick Bamford has been a slow burner since his £7 million move to Leeds United from Middlesbrough but the potential has been there for all to see.

He is behind Kemar Roofe in the pecking order right now but Bamford has had his moments, scoring a superb goal against Bolton in the EFL Cup and setting up Pablo Hernandez’s equaliser in the dramatic 2-2 draw at Swansea City last week.

Bamford is certainly a more high profile, and ambitious, signing than Mbaye Diagne would have been. But in terms of goalscoring form, there is only one winner between the two right now.

According to Turkish Football, Leeds were in talks to sign the £3.6 million-rated Diagne from Kasimpasa before sealing the deal for Bamford. It was even claimed that the Senegal international had applied for Italian citizenship in order to make obtaining a work permit easier.

Mbaye Diagne of Kasimpasa AS during the Turkish Spor Toto Super Lig match between Kasimpasa AS and Antalyaspor AS at the Recep Tayyip Erdoganstadion on March 16, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey

But Diagne looks set to remain at Kasimpasa until January at least. Though his Super Lig form suggests that Leeds should keep an eye on him.

So far in 2018/19, Diagne has scored five times in just three league games, hitting a brace in the 3-0 battering of Sivasspor on Sunday. He has now scored 17 times in 18 starts since moving to Turkey from China in January.

If Diagne keeps up this kind of form, a move to England seems inevitable.

Mbaye Diagne of Tianjin Elion FC in action during the Chinese Super League match between Tianjin Elion FC and Beijing Guoan FC at Tianjin Olympic Centre Stadium on October 22, 2017 in...