Leeds United have reportedly cooled their interest in Middlesbrough striker Rudy Gestede.
According to a report from Sky Sports, Leeds have reportedly cooled their interest in Middlesbrough striker Rudy Gestede and have decided to pursue other targets as they attempt to replace Chris Wood.
The Guardian reported in the wake of Wood’s £15 million departure for Burnley that the Whites had made a £6 million offer for the Benin international – but Sky Sports have now suggested that the Championship side have decided to look elsewhere.
And while Gestede is an experienced Championship striker and has played in the Premier League, it is surely a wise move from Leeds to turn their attention elsewhere.
The Whites arguably need another striker despite the acquisitions of Jay-Roy Grot and Caleb Ekuban, but Gestede’s record is not one that suggests that he would fill the void that Wood has left.
Gestede has not reached double figures for league goals since the 2014/15 season, and has only notched more than 10 goals in a campaign twice – both coming with Blackburn.
Since leaving Ewood Park, he has scored just 11 league goals, including one in the opening five games of this season.
It would be wrong to say that Gestede would not rediscover his Blackburn form for Thomas Christiansen’s side had he joined Leeds, but the signs certainly suggest that paying more than £6 million on him would be a gamble.
And with a number of options already at the club offering variety, Leeds should arguably concentrate their attention on finding that marquee forward who boasts a much more prolific record over a greater period of time – especially as their transfer budget has recently been boosted with up to £15 million.
And if that marquee forward is not out there during this window, then Christiansen should surely be able to find some targets who would be as great a gamble as signing Gestede would have been but would cost considerably less than £6 million.
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