Che Adams concerns mooted as Leeds United want Southampton man, Mitrovic comparison made
Paul Robinson has raised concerns over Southampton’s Che Adams amid reports that Leeds United are interested in signing the striker during the summer transfer window.
According to TEAMtalk [12 April], the Whites are interested in attaining the Scotland international’s signature regardless of whether Premier League promotion is achieved at Elland Road this season.
The striker, who has scored 17 goals in all competitions, is set to become a free agent this summer, alerting several European clubs, such as Leeds and Wolves.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, Robinson fears that, while Adams has impressed in the Championship, he may have reached his top level already.
“I think he’s a good player and Leeds have been linked with him for a long time. It seems to be every single window that Leeds are linked to Che Adams,” he said.
“He’s one of these players that has proven he can do it in the Championship and he scores goals at that level, but then in the Premier League, he hasn’t done it yet.
“You look at his play, you look at his goalscoring ability in the Championship, the potential is there but he hasn’t done it. In a similar way to [Aleksandar] Mitrovic in the early stages of his career when he was at Newcastle.
“With Newcastle and Fulham, he struggled to score goals in the Premier League. You wonder, ‘Has the player found his level? Is he a top Championship player who would struggle to score in the Premier League?’
“The thing is, when you go up with a promoted team, it’s always going to be more difficult. You’re not going to create as many chances, you’re not going to have that many goalscoring opportunities.
“To score 10-15 goals in a promoted team, or a team in the bottom six of the Premier League, is always a difficult ask. Unless a bigger team is going to take an opportunity on you and spend money taking you into the top half, where are you going to get more chances created for you?
“It’s difficult to score goals in a Premier League team that is newly promoted and doesn’t create that many opportunities, and I think that’s potentially what he’s faced when going up into the Premier League.
“The potential of a natural goalscorer is there, you can see that, but he’s Championship-proven without doing it in the Premier League.”
Could Leeds United sign Che Adams during the summer transfer window?
While the forward has notched 16 goals and three assists in the Championship this season, he is certainly not prolific when it comes to the Premier League.
Across four campaigns in the top tier of English football, the 27-year-old has failed to hit 10 goals in a single season, scoring four, nine, seven and five all with the Saints.
Leeds have a very good chance to claim promotion from the Championship this season, battling against Ipswich Town to join Leicester City, and will be keen to add reinforcements ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
With Premier League status, the Whites should be able to attract some bigger names than Adams, adding to Patrick Bamford, Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph in the squad.
In other Leeds news, one Elland Road star looks certain to leave the club in July now.
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