Leeds United cancelled a deal for Jerry Mbakogu in 2018.
Leeds United have two dangerous strikers now in Patrick Bamford and Eddie Nketiah, but it all may have been so different.
The Whites pounced for Bamford last summer, signing him from Middlesbrough whilst cancelling a deal for another striker in the process.
As reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds had agreed a deal with Carpi for striker Jerry Mbakogu, set up early in 2018 for the summer transfer window.
Leeds could activate their £3million option to sign Mbakogu by June 30th 2018, but that deadline passed without Leeds pulling the trigger as they cancelled the move.
Mbakogu was seemingly on the verge of a dream move to Elland Road after years in Italy, but had it pulled away from him at the last minute.
That left him in limbo; Carpi released Mbakogu from his contract just weeks later. He spent more than five months out of the game, before signing for Padova and then leaving the club when they were relegated in May.
Mbakogu has now found himself a new club, completing a move to Croatian side Osijek on deadline day this week, where he will hope to really get his career back on track.
Osijek were in the market for a physical striker after losing loanee Ezekiel Henty back to Puskas Akademia, and that may just give Mbakogu the chance he needs; after all, he’s still just 26 and has plenty of time to impress again.
It ultimately looks like Leeds dodged a bullet by cancelling the Mbakogu deal, saving themselves £3million on a player who has moved on for free twice this year, but hopefully he can make up for lost time now he’s found a new club in Croatia.
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