Leeds United seemed to have realised that the Premier League season begins on Monday night when Everton come to town, and have stepped up their work in the transfer window.
With Everton now just four days away, Leeds have decided to stop playing the waiting game and trying to bring in ambitious signings like Igor Paixao and Rodrigo Muniz, and have moved to readily available stars.
Nothing more exemplifies that than the imminent arrival of England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer. The 28-year-old is set to sign this week after undergoing a medical over at Thorp Arch.
Since then, reports have come to light that Leeds want Milan’s Noah Okafor and Panathinaikos skipper Fotis Ioannidis. Though it is unclear if Leeds will go after another striker after the signing of Calvert-Lewin.
More likely, Leeds go after a left-sided winger to replace Manor Solomon, with Okafor able to do both positions. Another able to do both is Juventus star Nico Gonzalez, who has been linked with Leeds.
Juventus' Nico Gonzalez celebrates
Photo by Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images
Juventus desperately trying to sell Nico Gonzalez this summer
Graham Smyth broke the news that Leeds want Argentina international Gonzalez. It has been reported in Italian media that Gonzalez wants to leave Juve as he is worried about his game time in a World Cup year.
Juventus want £26m for Gonzalez and now, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has told LeedsUnited.News that Juventus are desperately trying to sell him to make room and fund a move to sign Jadon Sancho.
“Juventus are desperately trying to move him on. They are trying to make room for Jadon Sancho and raise cash to sign him. He’s a very good player, better than Okafor but he will be much harder to get.”
Nico Gonzalez of Juventus.
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Nico Gonzalez or Noah Okafor? The key differences and numbers
Okafor is more of a striker that can play on the left and did so for Milan, creating the goal that Santiago Gimenez scored against Leeds. Meanwhile, Gonzalez is more creative behind the striker, a natural winger.
Name Clubs Games Minutes Goals Assists Minutes per G+A
Noah Okafor MilanSalzburgBaselNapoli 221 10890 48 33 134.4
Nico Gonzalez JuventusFiorentinaStuttgartArgentinos Jrs 289 19548 79 35 171.5
With Milan likely to cash in Okafor for a bargain fee between £10-£13m, the Switzerland international would be half the price of Gonzalez or potentially less. But as Bailey says, Gonzalez is a better player.
This is a player with more than 40 caps for Argentina. The stats may show that Okafor scores or assists at a quicker rate than Gonzalez, but Okafor often plays up front and Gonzalez has done it in harder leagues.
AC Milan forward Noah Okafor
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Gonzalez was the main man at both Stuttgart and Fiorentina before his move to Juventus, and while his first season has not been as successful, Leeds have simply got to do everything they can to sign him.