Although a menace to play against back in his prime, there’s no denying that Thierry Henry was one of the greats of the Premier League. Now, Leeds United could be about to sign a striker who looks up to the Frenchman.
Days after making a sensational return to Arsenal on loan, in the January transfer window of 2012, Thierry Henry came off the bench to score against Leeds United in the FA Cup, winning the game for the Gunners.
It was a typical Henry goal, too, and it’s one that Leeds fans will surely remember very well, even if they don’t want to.
That season, Leeds United under Simon Grayson and then Neil Warnock went on to finish in 14th place of the final Championship table, though the story is much different this time round.
13 years on and the Whites are atop of the second tier table. Going into the March international break Leeds United drew 2-2 at QPR to leave themselves level on points with Sheffield United in 2nd, and just two ahead of Burnley in 3rd.
Nevertheless, automatic promotion remains a huge possibility, and it would spark a busy summer transfer window.
Photo by Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images
Photo by Claudio Villa/AC Milan via Getty Images
Leeds United told how much they’ll need to pay for Roma’s Tammy Abraham
One striker mentioned alongside an Elland Road move ahead of the summer is Tammy Abraham at Roma. It’s said that Leeds United are among those interested in Abraham who’s been backed to leave Roma, four years after moving from Chelsea in a £34million deal.
He’s on loan at AC Milan this season. But reports have claimed that Milan don’t want to sign Abraham at the end of the season. Newly emerging reports from Milan Press now state that Roma will ask for between €20-25million (£16.8-21million) for the 27-year-old this summer, after rumours of a possible swap deal between Roma and Milan.
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It’d also been revealed that Roma and Milan looked into a swap deal between Abraham and Alexis Saelemaekers, who is on loan at Roma from Milan, though that possibility has since been ruled out in Italian media.
Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images
Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images
After joining Milan on loan from Roma last summer, Abraham was asked about his footballing idols, and Henry was the first name that sprang to mind.
He explained: “My family were big Arsenal fans and I grew up watching a lot of Arsenal games and Thierry Henry was my idol. It was watching him that made me want to be a striker. I still try to copy some of his moves.”
For Leeds, £21million to sign a proven Premier League striker in Abraham this summer could be a bargain. Though that fee will likely shoot up with more than just Leeds interested in Abraham, with the likes of Aston Villa heavily linked right now. Leeds United have several strikers on their radar though.
The Whites return to Championship action in a couple of week’s time with a visit from Swansea City.