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Leeds United are reportedly one of several English clubs keeping tabs on the promising young striker.
Leeds United have been linked with interest in Dynamo Kyiv striker Vladyslav Vanat but reports suggest they could face plenty of competition.
Elland Road recruitment chiefs will be putting early plans in place for the possibility of a return to the Premier League, with Leeds top of the Championship going into the final eight games. Promotion would kick into gear a busy summer and reinforcements upfront are a clear priority, as evidenced by their January interest in Southampton’s Cameron Archer.
Should Leeds win promotion, then improving in that area will be key to their survival hopes and TBR Football report on the emergence of a new target. They claim the Championship leaders have ‘set their sights’ on Vanat, who has emerged as one of Ukraine’s brightest young talents at Dynamo Kyiv.
The report suggests Vanat is ‘emerging as a potential target for a number of English clubs’, with Leeds and Premier League club West Ham thought to have shown early interest. Top-flight trio Brentford, Fulham and Wolves are also linked in the report, suggesting there will be plenty of possible suitors this summer.
Who is Vladyslav Vanat?
Despite still being only 23-years-old, Vanat has been a regular in the Ukrainian Premier League for four years, one of which was on loan at Chornomorets Odesa. But the striker has really made his name at Dynamo Kyiv, with 12 goals in 19 league games this season a seriously impressive return.
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Vanat has played almost all of his senior football upfront, with the odd cameo out on the left-wing, and the Ukrainian has been prolific for a number of years now, hitting double figures for league goals in each of his last three campaigns. The striker also has 10 caps for the Ukrainian national team, scoring twice.
A left-footed striker, Vanat is known for his pace and movement, which combine to make him a serious threat in behind - something Leeds have lacked from their current No.9 options this season. The young striker is also a clinical finisher, although it remains to be seen whether that would translate in Europe’s toughest league.
Leeds United’s summer transfer plans
Everyone at Leeds would insist the current focus is on securing promotion and that alone, with so little margin for error over the next eight fixtures. But like any well-run club, early plans will be put in place for the two eventualities, be it promotion to the Premier League or a third season in the Championship.
The latter doesn’t bear much thinking about, given it would likely lead to another summer in which the club’s brightest talents make the hump into top-flight football elsewhere. But promotion will almost certainly kick into gear a busy and expensive off-season.
49ers Enterprises are keen to avoid the mistakes of previous top-flight transfer windows, and investment will need to come across most positions in the squad. The gap between Championship and Premier League appears to grow wider every year, as evidenced by the fact Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town are almost certain to be relegated.
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