A striker whose agent claimed interest from Tottenham Hotspur this week has now listed Leeds United among his admirers.
Lucas Alario, who has scored seven goals in eight games for Bayer Leverkusen this season, told TyC Sports that Leeds made a summer approach for his services.
But that was as far as it got with Tottenham’s Premier League rivals, according to Alario.
“I had no contact nor did I speak with Marcelo (Bielsa, the Leeds manager), said the Argentina international. “I know about the rumour because my representative told me, but it was only an approach.
“They asked my representative and then the club, but then it didn’t advance much further.”
Alario’s representative, Pedro Aldave, had told TNT Sports just days earlier that his client ‘had a chance’ to join Tottenham, but was put off by the likelihood of being second choice to Harry Kane.
“We had opportunities to go out on loan and he chose to stay … I believe that today Lucas can be in a top team,” he said.
“It is easier to make the leap from Argentina to a top team, on the other hand if you already came to Europe it is more difficult. We had the chance of Tottenham, who are top, but to go look at the matches from the bench, it doesn’t work.”
Tottenham later recruited another South American striker, Carlos Vinicius, on loan from Benfica, while Leeds were able to strengthen their options through the signing of Valencia’s Rodrigo Moreno.
Leverkusen are reported to have paid £21.6 million for Alario three years ago.
And the imposing front man has rewarded the German side with 56 goals or assists in 106 games so far.
Fans of Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United – would Alario have been a good addition?
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