Leeds should increase Cardiff offer for target man Madine

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Leeds desperately need to sign a striker if they are to maintain their Championship promotion hopes.

Leeds United manager Thomas Christiansen has completed a third January signing in the form of left-back Laurens De Bock, and he must now focus on adding a striker to his squad this month.

De Bock joins just hours after right-back Luke Ayling was confirmed as being ruled out for the rest of the season, which is likely to see current first-choice left-back Gaetano Berardi move to the right.

The former Club Brugge defender joins Finnish teenager Aapo Halme and Japan international Yosuke Ideguchi in joining the Yorkshire giants this month, with the latter immediately loaned to Spanish side Cultural Leonesa.

With the left-back issue sorted, Christiansen must now focus on putting his weight behind a new striker at Elland Road, with Caleb Ekuban still sidelined through injury and Pierre-Michel Lasogga hardly showing the form required.

Lasogga, on loan from Hamburg for the entire season, started against Newport County on Sunday afternoon but looked off the pace as the League Two side magically knocked Leeds out of the third round of the FA Cup.

Christiansen needs a proven Championship goalscorer, and it should see look to sign Bolton Wanderers striker Gary Madine this month after Cardiff City made a £1million offer for the 27-year-old target man.

However, the Daily Mail claimed on their transfer news blog (Wednesday, 12:35) that Neil Warnock’s side had had a bid rejected for the Gateshead-born striker, which could give Leeds the chance to jump for the striker now.

Christiansen should do all he can to convince owner Andrea Radrizzani that Madine’s experience of the Championship, as well as his form this season, is worth investing in as he boasts similar traits to that of Chris Wood.

Madine has scored nine goals in 26 Championship outings this term in a side fighting against relegation and with chances at a premium, that is certainly good going. Landing him would be a huge boost to Leeds’ promotion hopes.