Leeds could find Bamford heir in Okafor

Leeds United have lately been linked with a swoop to signal Noah Okafor from Austrian champions Crimson Bull Salzburg within the January switch window.

The 22-year-old striker is reportedly on the Premier League membership’s radar, regardless of the market being closed for the following three-and-a-half months, as Victor Orta plots methods to enhance Jesse Marsch’s squad.

By signing the Switzerland worldwide in January, Leeds might land their eventual inheritor to Patrick Bamford’s throne within the quantity 9 place at Elland Street.

The previous Chelsea marksman led the road brilliantly for the Whites of their first season again within the prime flight as he discovered the again of the web 17 instances in 2020/21. Nevertheless, he was then hit with a lot of injury issues which restricted him to creating simply seven begins within the league in 2021/22, scoring two objectives in that point.

Raphinha (11) was the one Leeds participant to hit double figures within the Premier League final season, whereas Rodrigo – who additionally performed in midfield at instances – was the one pure striker with greater than two objectives to his identify (he completed with six).

Bamford has been match for the beginning of the present marketing campaign however did not score in any of his 4 appearances up to now, as he seeks to recapture the shape that he confirmed a few years in the past.

Ought to Leeds signal Okafor?

The 29-year-old might not be capable of get again to his finest, and bringing in Okafor might see a altering of the guard up entrance by signalling the following technology of ahead at Elland Street.

On the age of twenty-two, the Salzburg marksman is an up-and-coming prospect who might develop and develop alongside the membership. He has a few years left forward of him to enhance as a participant and will are available to enhance the group within the instant time period, while additionally being an funding for the long run.

The gem, who has racked up 81 objectives and assists in his membership profession so far, has scored five objectives and supplied two assists in 10 appearances for his group this season. This comes after he managed nine objectives and nine assists in 21 league outings final time period, together with three objectives in six Champions League group video games.

Okafor, who journalist Josh Bunting described as a “pleasure to watch“, has additionally scored two objectives in eight appearances for Switzerland at worldwide stage and has proven loads of promise as a younger striker, which has led to this curiosity from Leeds.

His statistics counsel that he has the goalscoring potential, and his latest pressing in opposition to Milan within the Champions League signifies that he might go well with Jesse Marsch’s style of play of urgent excessive and enjoying with depth all through matches to drive errors from the opposition.

Due to this fact, he might be an thrilling potential addition to the Leeds squad and, at his age, finally take over Bamford’s throne up entrance for the Whites, whether or not that’s right away in January or within the medium to long-term.