Leeds United manager Daniel Farke wanted to add one more striker to his squad towards the end of the summer transfer window. However, the club ran out of options, targets and time and had an absolute nightmare end on deadline day last week.
The Whites are keen to move on from their deadline day disaster and are insistent that one bad day in the window should not colour the good work they carried out in the summer to strengthen the squad through 10 new signings for a combined outlay of £100m.
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However, the feeling lingers that Leeds have left themselves short in the final third, and no goal from open play in their first three games was evidence of their lack of ideas and invention in attack.
Daniel Farke is almost certain to demand attacking reinforcements in the winter transfer window to boost his side’s chances of Premier League survival in the latter half of the season, and Jean-Philippe Mateta is seen as an option.
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Jean-Philippe Mateta has no interest in joining Leeds United
Mateta scored 30 Premier League goals in the last two campaigns and was pivotal in Crystal Palace winning their first major trophy in the form of the FA Cup last season.
Leeds are among the Premier League clubs that are monitoring him with a view to a potential approach in the January transfer window.
However, Leeds have learned about the Frenchman’s feelings towards a move to Elland Road, and it is not good news.
According to TEAMtalk, the Palace striker has no interest in making a move to Leeds in the middle of the season.
Leeds admire his physicality and clinical finishing, and he is seen as the perfect fit for the number 9 role in Farke’s team in the latter half of the season.
However, Mateta’s ambition doesn’t align with joining Leeds at this stage, and he harbours dreams of elevating his career at the elite level.
He would be interested in leaving Palace in the winter window only for a club with Champions League or Europa League football.
The Frenchman is not interested in getting involved in a fight for survival, and a move to Leeds doesn’t interest him much at this stage of his career.
Mateta was always too ambitious a target for Leeds
The Frenchman has suitors in the top half of the Premier League table, and is likely to leave for a club playing in Europe if he moves on from Palace.
Leeds were never going to be his next destination unless something drastic happened, and the club are now aware that moving for him would be futile.
The Whites need to engage with a more gettable target, and Norwich City’s Josh Sargent has been tipped as a player who could join Leeds in the winter transfer window.
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