Bielsa plots £18m Leeds swoop to sign striker after 15-goal season – report
Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is plotting an “ambitious” summer swoop to sign Stuttgart striker Nicolas Gonzalez, according to the Daily Star.
The newspaper has rounded up a number of transfer stories that have surfaced about Leeds in the last few days but there is an interesting line at the bottom of their story.
German newspaper Kicker has reported this week that Leeds are keen on signing Gonzalez, 22, but the Star now says that Bielsa is heading an £18million move to land the Argentina international.
Gonzalez impressed at Stuttgart this season as they secured promotion back to the Bundesliga.
The former Argentinos Juniors striker scored 15 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions, as well as supplying four assists.
It means that Gonzalez was directly involved in roughly two goals every three matches he played.
Patrick Bamford, as it stands, is the only out-and-out centre-forward who Marcelo Bielsa has in his senior squad ahead of next season.
It remains to be seen what happens with Jean-Kevin Augustin and his possible permanent move from RB Leipzig while Tyler Roberts has been used more as a midfielder by Bielsa.
At £18million, Gonzalez will cost a lot of money. In fact, if the deal was completed for that much it would be a new joint-record signing for Leeds, who paid the same amount for Rio Ferdinand in 2000.
Gonzalez has been compared to Raul and Mario Kempes by the German media.
Bielsa is unlikely to be looking at any comparisons like that though but if he wants Gonzalez, then we will be fully behind his decision.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are the only team with “serious” interest in this centre-back.