Leeds United have done plenty of business so far this summer, but, as of yet, they’ve not plugged one of their biggest problem positions.
Indeed, the Whites are yet to sign a new number nine and after struggling all last season in the absence of Patrick Bamford, the Yorkshire club need to bring in a new centre-forward.
According to Phil Hay, the plan is to sign a new attacker, while The Athletic have claimed that Leeds are in talks for a mystery striker from an English club.
We don’t know who this mystery striker is, but, in our view, one player that Leeds should be having a serious look at is Teemu Pukki.
The Finnish forward has flourished in the Premier League despite playing for a diabolical Norwich team for the past four years. He’s hit double-figures in both of his English top-flight campaigns so far, and his agent, Teemu Turunen, has made it no secret that Pukki wants to play football at the highest level.
“It is not the optimal situation that the club is in the Championship. That’s clear.” Turunen told Finnish outlet MTV UUTISET, via Eastern Daily Press.
“Negotiations are going on all the time. It is then a different matter whether it leads to anything. However, Teemu is the kind of player that every player should be, that as long as there is a contract, their own business is done with honour.”
“The starting point is that Teemu will go back to Norwich for the training season, but if something happens here before the end of August, I don’t know. Yes, Teemu has a desire to play as high as possible.”
It seems as though it wouldn’t be too difficult to get Pukki out of Carrow Road, and at the age of 32, he wouldn’t break the bank either.
Yes, his age profile isn’t ideal, but you could easily get three good years out of the striker, and that would be the perfect amount of time to allow Joe Gelhardt to develop onto a bona fide star at Elland Road.
Leeds need a striker who knows how to find the net, and Pukki fits that description better than most.
Leeds know just how deadly Pukki can be, and, in fact, Mateusz Klich has previously named him as his most difficult opponent.
“Probably Pukki,” Klich told Leeds’ official YouTube channel when asked to name his most difficult opponent. “He scored 28 [29] goals. He was great last season, so I would say [Pukki]. It was the first season I played fully, so playing one year in the Championship, I would go with him.”
Pukki wants to play in the Premier League, Leeds need a striker and he’s certainly within their price range.
The Whites would be wise to look at any potential deal for Pukki this summer.
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