Leeds United have enough firepower without ‘bumper Latte Lath transfer’
Leeds United appear to be trumped in their bid to sign Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath.
The Boro frontman looks set to try his hand in MLS, with Atlanta United verbally agreeing a deal worth around £16.4million with the Teessiders to snatch him mid-season (Ben Jacobs, 16 January).
While acquiring Latte Lath from a Championship rival looked unlikely, it would certainly have got fans off their seats as the Whites were heavily linked with the 26-year-old.
But do Leeds really need the Ivorian for a bumper price like that this season? In the grand scheme of things, probably not.
Leeds United should keep Joel Piroe up top
Farke has appeared conflicted in certain areas of his attack this season, with both Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph having led the line.
Joseph is on a barren run which is clearly affecting the youngster’s rhythm – once he is back on the scoresheet, he is likely to feel a huge weight off his shoulders.
After all, what he brings away from goalscoring really taps into how Farke wants to play.
Piroe, however, can be the best striker in the Championship given the sustained opportunity. He has off days – he’d be a Premier League regular somewhere if he didn’t, and has faced his due criticism in the wake of them.
This season, Latte Lath has played marginally more minutes than Piroe so far (FBRef). They have both featured 26 times in all competitions and have both scored 10 goals.
The Dutchman also has five assists to Latte Lath’s two – the Whites were never really going to swoop in with over £16million for another addition to an attacking system which plays one centre-forward.
The club have done very well to arrange their finances in order and move clear of the PSR threat which loomed early last summer; it shouldn’t be ruined by bringing in an expensive glitzy new striker who might not even have started every week.
In other Leeds news, Brian Deane believes the club in fact should bring in another striker.
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