Leeds United

Six transfers that’d boost Leeds United hopes next season

Jerry Mbakogu (Carpi; striker)

Italian sources have been linking Leeds United with real interest in Carpi’s Nigerian striker for a while now. Latest reports from Gazzamercato are that the Whites have set aside nearly €5 million, including money for bonuses, in the hope that they can land the powerfully-built frontman.

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio added a little more colour to proceedings saying that Leeds United had sent two scouts to watch Mbakogu in action. He also adds that, and agreeing with TMW, that Leeds don’t have a deal in place for this transfer window and that the West Yorkshire club will “try to carry out the operation only later and in the future.”

25-year-old Mbakogu has had a busy time in Italian football after breaking in to the Padova side from their youth set-up. He’s been loaned out to the likes of Palermo Under-19, Juve Stabia and Carpi – who paid Padova £200,000 for his services nearing the end of July 2014. Since then he has had a loan spell out in Russia with KS Samara.

During his time at Carpi, Mbakogu has made 124 appearances, scored 36 goals and provided 20 assists. Whilst the bulk of his experience (133 games/38 goals/24 assists) has been in Italy’s Serie B competition, he does have experience (24 games/two goals/two assists) with Carpi in Serie A.

Moise Kean (Juventus; striker)

Another player from Italy who has been linked with Leeds United recently has been Juventus’ exciting talent Moise Kean. Despite his tender age of just 17, the powerful youngster is cutting it on loan at Serie A side Hellas Verona where he has scored four goals in 16 appearances.

Goals are what Kean knows, regularly scoring for Juventus’ youth and Under-17/19 squads. Before making the step up to senior football, he was on fire in Juve’s Under-17 set-up. At this level he was quite prolific, scoring 29 goals in just 36 appearances – including 19 in the 2015/16 season.

Leeds had made an approach during the winter transfer window that closed at the end of January with news coming via Italian outlet Calciomercato who said that Italian giants Juventus had “unveiled the proposal received for Kean.”

They said that “an offer from Leeds for Moise Kean” was, at the time, a loan deal but one that they call a “dry loan“. What this entails is Leeds United having a “willingness to pay most of his signing,” the Whites fulfilling his current salary “almost totally.”

Moving away from Italian football, next up are two defenders in England who’d add depth at the back – an area lacking at Elland Road at the moment.

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