Report suggests Oli McBurnie doesn’t top Leeds’ striker shortlist

Follow us on Google Discover

Leeds United are reportedly plotting a move for a striker this summer, but Oli McBurnie is not their primary target.

According to a report from the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds are keen on signing Oli McBurnie from Swansea City, but the 21-year-old does not currently find himself at the top of the Whites’ shortlist of strikers.

The Whites undoubtedly need to make signing a new goalscorer one of their top priorities after a difficult season at Elland Road. It may have been the first time for a number of years that Leeds have had two players reach double figures for league goals, but the likes of Kemar Roofe, Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Caleb Ekuban and Jay-Roy Grot came in for a lot of criticism.

Lasogga has returned to parent club Hamburg, while it would be a big surprise if Paul Heckingbottom planned to hand Ekuban and Grot anything more than a peripheral role next term. Signing a marquee goalscorer this summer therefore, appears to be a must.

The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that McBurnie is on their radar, while the club also have the option to sign Jerry Mbakogu from Carpi for £3 million. However, it appears that the Whites are some way off landing either.

The Yorkshire Evening Post adds that the club are considering other options before they trigger Mbakogu’s option, while McBurnie is not thought to be Leeds’ number one striker target despite his incredibly impressive loan spell with Barnsley during the second-half of the season.

His nine goals for the Tykes would have left many Leeds fans urging the club to make a move this summer in the hope that Heckingbottom could sign him once again, but it appears, at this stage, that the club are not prioritising a pursuit of the Scotland international.

If they do decide to pursue a deal for McBurnie, it would appear that they could have to pay a significant fee to get a deal across the line. The Sun reported at the weekend that Rangers bid £4 million for the youngster, and with Swansea joining Leeds in the second tier, it would be little surprise if the Swans decided to demand significantly more from the Whites than they may do from the Gers.

While McBurnie’s asking price appears set to be around the sort of figure that Leeds have seldom paid for players since their relegation from the top flight in 2004, it may be fair to assume that the Whites fans would much rather see him targeted than Mbakogu.

The 25-year-old’s record in Italy’s second tier is underwhelming. And after a season which saw a number of transfer gambles fail miserably, Mbakogu would be under enormous pressure to succeed at Elland Road if Leeds did decide to make their move.