By Craig Scott

22nd Jan, 2020 | 6:30am

MOT View: Leeds surely handed killer blow in reported pursuit of £8.5m-valued attacker

It has not been a happy January so far for Leeds United fans, who are yet to see their club sign a single new player for Marcelo Bielsa’s senior squad.

There seems to have been very little progress made in the hunt to sign a new centre-forward while the defeat to QPR on Saturday only raised more issues and concerns with Kalvin Phillips getting a three-match ban.

And now it seems as though Leeds are set to miss out on one of their reported attacker targets, Rayo Vallecano winger Adrian Embarba.

Mundo Deportivo has reported this month that Leeds have been keen to sign the 27-year-old Spaniard after being impressed by his form this season.

Premier League clubs West Ham and Norwich have also been linked with the Madrid-born attacker but it seems as though he is set to take the step up to La Liga from second-tier side Rayo.

Spanish broadcaster RAC1 has reported via their website that Espanyol are set to sign Embarba after agreeing to meet his release clause of £8.5million.

It is understood that the deal is set to be wrapped up fairly soon after Rayo agreed to let Espanyol pay off Embarba’s release clause in instalments.

Leeds have now missed out on a player who Marcelo Bielsa could have been eyeing to replace Jack Clarke after he was recalled from his loan spell at Elland Road by Tottenham.

The Whites have been linked with signing a new winger this month with Manchester City’s Ian Poveda and Stabaek’s Emil Bohinen being two names that have cropped up.

Embarba could have been another option for the Whites as they aim to bolster Bielsa’s attacking options ahead of the second half of the season.

It is a shame that Leeds are going to miss out on him because he seems like a good player.

In other Leeds United news, Don Goodman has shared what he is confident of happening this month with the Whites.