Leeds should try to sign West Ham’s Ashley Fletcher on loan

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Should Leeds United try move for the West Ham United forward?

Ashley Fletcher joined West Ham United on a four-year deal this past summer after being released by Manchester United.

But fast forward a few months and the 21-year-old striker has managed only 151 minutes of Premier League football.

The imminent return to fitness of £20.5 million signing Andre Ayew is another obstacle for Fletcher regarding first-team football and it might be beneficial for the youngster and West Ham if he were leave on loan in January – and one club in particular might be interested.

It was reported by The Sun that Leeds United – who reportedly rivalled the Irons (Yorkshire Evening Post) for his signature after leaving Old Trafford – tried to sign him on loan in August, but a depleted strikeforce meant that the Premier League side could ill afford to lose a forward option at the time.

If those two rumours are to be believed then Leeds boss Garry Monk is desperate to sign Fletcher but, with Andy Carroll also due back in the coming weeks, Slaven Bilic may well be more flexible in letting him earn some Championship experience ahead of next season.

Monk hardly has an abundance of striking options. Well, he has a number of options, but aside from Chris Wood – who has netted eight times from 16 games in all competitions – the Whites have no quality alternatives.

Souleymane Doukara is nowhere near the first XI. Marcus Antonsson has scored once in 525 minutes of Championship football, and Kemar Roofe has been used strictly on the wing.

Unless Antonsson turns things around or Roofe proves a revelation up front, then in all probability Leeds will still need another striker in January and Fletcher fits the bill.

At 6’2, he looks similar to Wood, but he offers something entirely different.

The former Red Devil – who netted seven times in 15 League One starts for Barnsley last term – has pace, power, tricks and he can score with both feet. They are the reasons why West Ham signed him, and they are the reasons why Leeds should try borrow him.