Leeds ‘hijack’ rumour addressed as West Ham get ready to close striker deal
Daniel Farke is hoping to strengthen his Leeds United squad during the January transfer window.
Leeds’ 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday afternoon has left them eight points clear of the Premier League bottom three.
However, the Whites are still looking to add some quality in forward areas, as they work to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
With several January moves already happening around the Premier League, there have been rumours that Leeds are looking to hijack a transfer planned by relegation rivals West Ham United.
Leeds eye West Ham transfer target
West Ham have been heavily linked with Lazio striker Taty Castellanos over the past week, with Nuno Espirito Santo eager to bolster his attacking ranks.
The Hammers have already confirmed the signing of Gil Vicente forward Pablo Felipe, and look set to announce Castellanos imminently.
There have been some rumours that Leeds were attempting to hijack the deal and bring the 27-year-old to Elland Road.
However, according to ExWHUEmployee there’s nothing to that speculation, and Castellanos is still set to complete his medical with the Hammers before officially being announced by the East London side.
The Argentine is currently at the West Ham training ground, so there is no chance he will be joining Leeds instead.
Who are Leeds actually targeting in January?
Despite not pulling off a move for Castellanos, Leeds are still working hard to bring in some attacking reinforcements to give Farke’s side the best chance of survival.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been immense over the last month, but the Whites boss has been constantly switching his strike partner to find the best combination.
Leeds have been linked with Troy Parrott, and the feeling is that it would cost the West Yorkshire side around £25million to bring him in.
The 23-year-old moved from Tottenham to AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2024 and scored 14 Eredivisie goals in his first campaign at the club.
This season, Parrott has found the net nine times in just 11 appearances, after missing over a month through injury.
The former Spurs man also scored five goals in two games against Portugal and Hungary to fire the Republic of Ireland to the World Cup play-offs.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @motleedsnews