Leeds United may have to break transfer record to sign perfect Manor Solomon alternative
Manor Solomon arrived at Leeds last season with a point to prove after being sidelined at Tottenham.
The 26-year-old helped give the Peacocks added depth to their forward ranks and pushed them to the Championship title.
Leeds have been linked with a permanent move for Solomon this summer, although bids placed elsewhere have put a return in doubt.
Leeds should go all out for Dilane Bakwa instead of Manor Solomon
Leeds supporters have been left concerned by Solomon’s record in the Premier League.
The winger was average during his time with Fulham before moving to Tottenham, where he has struggled for game time.
His loan move last season was promising, but the Whites need players who are ready for the Premier League, and Solomon doesn’t appear to be.
- Solomon contributed 10 goals and 12 assists in 41 games for Leeds last season
- He contributed to 23% of the Whites’ goals last season
Leeds’ 5-0 loss to Arsenal showed plenty of defensive flaws, but also showed how lifeless they were in attack.
They managed just three shots and an expected goals of just 0.16 in the defeat.
After completing the signing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin earlier in the window, Leeds now appear to be accelerating plans to sign Dilane Bakwa from Strasbourg.
While Nottingham Forest are also interested in Bakwa, any possible swoop for the fleet-footed winger could see him exceed the £35.5million paid for Georginio Rutter in January 2023.
That is because Nottingham Forest saw their £30m bid for Bakwa turned down on Monday, with the possibility he could cost more than £35m, including add-ons.
For that money, a young talent forward who looks to be Premier League level would be a bit of a steal and a much better alternative to Solomon.
- Read more: Likely winner named in Leeds and Nottingham Forest battle for Dilane Bakwa amid £30m development
How do Manor Solomon and Dilane Bakwa compare?
Solomon has scored just four goals in 24 top-flight games, which has put supporters off resigning the forward.
| Solomon | Stat | Bakwa |
| 22 | Goal contributions | 16 |
| 3.86 | Progressive passes | 4.7 |
| 0.42 | Expected assists | 0.24 |
| 80.6% | Pass accuracy | 72.9% |
Given that Leeds sold such a promising attacker in Rutter to Brighton last season, it shows that the Peacocks would be getting a lot more quality by spending extra on Bakwa.
The 22-year-old has racked up 140 appearances already in his career, and his proven top-flight ability will be useful, something Solomon hasn’t shown consistently.
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