Leeds United target Dilane Bakwa is one of a few forward options being considered before the transfer deadline.
After failing to land Facundo Buonanotte, Leeds United are in search of alternative attacking options, with Daniel Farke needing more of a creative spark in his ranks to knit the attack together.
That’s why Bakwa has been on Leeds’ radar for a while, with the 23-year-old RC Strasbourg winger a player with more assists than goals in his career so far.
Team Appearances Goals Assists
FC Girondins de Bordeaux 52 5 9
RC Strasbourg Alsace 71 12 20
Dilane Bakwa’s career stats
Leeds’ desire to sign him faces stiff competition, though. They are not the only Premier League club keen on the winger. Fulham have ‘advanced talks’ for Bakwa in recent days and Nottingham Forest remain very keen on Bakwa.
Dilane Bakwa dribbles during RC Strasbourg Alsace v Paris Saint-Germain FC - Ligue 1 McDonald's
Photo by Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Dilane Bakwa shines for RC Strasbourg despite ongoing transfer talk
Forest had a £26 million bid for Bakwa rejected and it’s also believed that Forest went as high as a £30 million Bakwa bid. Nothing has materialised since, with Strasbourg so far standing firm.
The latest today is that Fulham and Forest remain in the Bakwa race ahead of the transfer deadline. That information comes after Bakwa revealed his last game for Strasbourg had been played recently.
However, it appears he has U-turned on that after the developments on Sunday afternoon. Bakwa came off the bench at half-time away to Monaco with his side 2-0 down shortly after.
It changed the game, with Bakwa scoring in the 73rd minute and then winning a penalty just mere minutes later for Strasbourg to be level at 2-2.
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Unfortunately for Bakwa, it didn’t amount to much, as Monaco scored through Takumi Minamino in the 96th minute to snatch the points.
Despite stating he would never play again, Bakwa has already notched a goal and two assists in their three Ligue 1 games, which comes from just 135 minutes of action so far.
Juventus forward Nico Gonzalez
Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images
Daniel Farke prefers Atleti-bound Nico Gonzalez to Bakwa
Daniel Farke prefers Nico Gonzalez to Bakwa. That is despite Farke’s comments regarding a creative winger profile, as opposed to more of a goalscorer like Gonzalez.
Name Clubs Age Games Goals Assists
Dilane Bakwa StrasbourgBordeaux 23 123 17 29
Nico Gonzalez JuventusFiorentinaStuttgartArgentinos Jrs 27 290 77 35
It’s immaterial now, with Atletico Madrid closing in on Gonzalez. That limits who they can sign further ahead of the deadline. Either way, Leeds have to sign another forward of some description.
Leeds have kept two clean sheets already, but survival needs more than that. Attacking differentials are imperative for sides fighting the drop.