Another Leeds United transfer rumour, another striker linked. Now it is Jerry Mbakogu of Serie B side, Carpi FC 1909. The forward born of Nigerian descent has scored the ball 8 times in 20 appearances, 5 of them scored in the league.
Mbakogu moved to Italy at an early age after being born in Lagos. He joined the Padova youth academy when he was just 14 and worked his way up the club ranks. He somehow could not manage a starting XI spot and had to be loaned out to Palermo. The 25-year-old’s Serie B debut came in August 2010 in a 1-1 draw against Crotone.
He has racked up 37 goals and 21 assists in total 127 appearances for Carpi and has greatly improved as a professional. With his current contract set to run until the summer of 2020, Leeds might have to shell out a significant amount to bring him into the club.
It is no secret that the Whites are struggling in their chase for a playoff spot, having lost 3 of their last 4 league games. Thomas Christiansen’s men allowed Millwall to slot in 2 late goals and snatch away the win last weekend. The match ended 2-3 at Elland Road and the fans were left shell-shocked to see their team drop to the 10th spot of the EFL Championship.
What started out to be one of the best chances of pushing for a promotion has turned into a dark and disappointing campaign for Thomas Christiansen who is struggling with a lack of attacking threat from the side. With Samuel Saiz currently sidelined for behavioural conduct and Pierre-Michel Lasogga failing to chip in regularly, an addition to the final third is necessary to improve their chances of making it into the playoffs by the end of the season.
Caleb Ekuban went down to a long-term injury last month and Pawel Cibicki is not the ideal striker to lead the Peacocks’ attacking lineup. Cibicki is utilised as a second option and has not managed to score a single goal this season apart from handing in just two assists.
Christiansen and the United faithful understand the importance of a proven goalscorer for the final stretch of the season. They are desperate for a quality signing and none of their trade offers have materialised. With just a couple more days left in the closure of the January window, the prospect of signing a forward is increasing significantly. Mbakogu already has an Italian passport and will not require a work visa to play for the Whites. Even though he has no prior English football experience, he is an established professional and maybe Christiansen will able to get the best out of him.
