As per one of the latest reports, Leeds United have emerged as new favourites to sign Leicester City’s outcast, Leonardo Ulloa, in the ongoing January transfer window. Aston Villa are currently the favourites to make Ulloa sign on the dotted line, while Sunderland are also perceived to be pretty much active in the race.
Thomas Christiansen’s side succumbed to Ipswich Town yesterday at the Portman Road Stadium as the Tractor Boys clinched a 1-0 win over the Whites. While Eunan O’Kane being shown the red card was the turning point of the game, one can hardly deny that the Yorkshire-based outfit lacked the cutting edge up front. They have, on many occasions, looked very blunt in their attacking endeavours this season.
Leeds United lost their talismanic hitman of last season, Chris Wood, to Burnley in the summer transfer window and it was indeed a massive blow to them. Nonetheless, they made some additions in the summer to beef up their arsenal, including two strikers in the shapes of Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Jay-Roy Grot. However, they have hardly contributed consistently and investment in the attacking sector is required this month.
Besides, Christiansen had implied that he would look to sign a centre-forward in January and it would certainly make a lot of sense if they manage to lure Ulloa to the Elland Road. The Argentine was signed by the Foxes for a club-record transfer fee of £8million back in the summer of 2014 but despite being given a lot of prominences initially, he is being overlooked lately.
Ulloa has fallen behind the likes of Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki, Islam Slimani and Kelechi Iheanacho in the pecking order and must be desperately seeking for an exit from the King Power Stadium. He is a player who is expected to ply his trade regularly and under the tutelage of Claude Puel, he might not be rendered the adequate amount of opportunities to thrive.
So far this season, he has been handed merely 4 substitute appearances in the Premier League and 2 starts in the League Cup and it goes without saying that his value has diluted considerably. However, considering that he is physically strong, knows how to hold the ball up front and is clinical, there is apparently no dearth of his admirers and if Leeds United manage to acquire his services, he might prove to be a decent asset for them in their quest of earning promotion.
