Jay-Roy Grot is close to signing for Leeds United but he could have been playing in Serie A with Fiorentina this season.
Signing a striker from Holland is risky business. For every Luis Suarez or Ruud Van Nistelrooy, there’s a Mateja Kezman or an Afonso Alves.
Therefore, Leeds United fans may be divided by reports in the Yorkshire Evening Post claiming that they will attempt to fill the void left by Chris Wood by landing NEC Nijmegen’s teenage forward Jay-Roy Grot.
The 19-year-old is unlikely to be Leeds’ only new addition in attack with over a week remaining in the transfer window, but the fans have a right to wonder whether the Dutch youth international is ready to make the grade in England’s Championship.
After all, impressive performances in the Dutch second tier do not necessarily guarantee success across the channel. Lars Veldwijk plundered 30 goals in 38 games for Excelsior in 2013/14 but managed none in 12 appearances for Nottingham Forest.
And, compared to Veldwijk (below), Grot’s goalscoring record is far from fearsome. In 31 senior games for NEC, the teenager has hit the back of the net on just five occasions.
However, the fact that Grot could have been playing Serie A football this season with one of Italy’s biggest sides suggests that Leeds are not the only club aware of his potential. As reported by Voetbal Primeur, Grot had all but signed for Fiorentina back in May of this year, only for a deal to fall through because the clubs could not agree on a fee.
La Viola are famed in Italy for their ability to identify young talent, the likes of Matias Vecino and Khouma Babacar arriving as unknowns in recent years before developing impressively in Florence.
The fact that they were willing to take a chance on Grot suggests that he is a player with real potential. The question is whether Leeds United can unlock it.
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