Michail Antonio would be Leeds’ dream signing; but reports suggest deal unlikely

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The Nottingham Forest winger would solve a number of problems in one go at Leeds.

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United have identified Michail Antonio as a summer target.

According to the same report, however, a deal is unlikely, as Nottingham Forest are likely to price the Whites out of the market.

That is consistent with reports in January from the Sun, who suggested West Brom made bids of £3.5 and £5 million for the Forest man. In the end, those kind of sums were deemed far from good enough.

And that’s the perfect shame, of course, for Antonio would be the dream Leeds signing this summer.

Indeed, as Opta stats show, the Nottingham Forest winger was one of the Championship’s most creative attacking players.

Antonio registered 12 assists and won more dribbles than anyone bar Nathan Redmond and Bakary Sako (one was promoted, the other in a team that finished much higher than Forest).

The 25-year-old has everything Leeds need and lack: pace and the ability to play out wide. Even in his lowest areas, meanwhile, he trumped the Whites squad:

Antonio played more minutes but only Charlie Taylor came near him in terms of his crossing and Alex Mowatt (even then, quite far off) in terms of chance creation.

Chris Woods is a superb signing for Leeds but the Nottingham Forest winger would be of a different class – while his addition would be perfect to create chances for the New Zealander, anyway.

Antonio is easily one of the Championship’s best and could offer plenty in the Premier League. United know it; Forest know it. And, while that makes Leeds’ reported interest admirable, it doesn’t make a deal any less unrealistic at this point.