Marcelo Bielsa’s Championship favourites Leeds United reportedly offered £10.5m for Porto’s Primeira Liga goal machine Ze Luis.
Ze Luis has come a long way since Leeds United allegedly tried and failed to lure him to Elland Road.
According to Championat, Marcelo Bielsa’s side made a staggering £10.5 million bid for the Spartak Moscow striker during the January transfer window. Eight months on, he is in the form of his life and ready to take Europe by storm.
After four years, two trophies and 35 goals in the red and white of Spartak, Ze Luis completed a move to Primeira Liga giants Porto in July. And it is fair to say he hasn’t look back.
Six games into his Porto career, Ze Luis has scored five times already, averaging a goal-a-game in Portugal’s top flight. There was a crucial, close-range tap in during Porto’s impressive 2-0 win away at rivals and reigning champions Benfica, plus a clinical hat-trick against a stricken Vitoria Setubal.
Ze Luis has only ever netted six times in European competition but, with the Cape Verde international in irrepressible form for a resurgent Porto side, the respective defences Rangers, Feyenoord and Young Boys will be quaking in their boots at the prospect of coming up against a striker who’s never looked sharper in the Europa League.
All the while, Leeds continue to dominate, plugging away with little reward against teams more than happy to sit back and soak up the pressure.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side have picked up 13 points from a possible 18 this season but would it have been a clean sweep if Ze Luis was leading the line against Nottingham Forest or Swansea City?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
