In one of the latest interviews with talkSPORT, Leeds United’s owner, Andrea Radrizzani, has stated that he is keen to follow Wolverhampton Wanderers’ model of luring world-class players to his side. The Whites have withered away in the race for promotion to Premier League and it is hard to imagine Paul Heckingbottom’s side making it to the playoffs.
They must start vouching for players who could give them the uplift next season and here are three players they should target to aim for promotion next time around.
Jack Marriott
Leeds United really need some fierce, exuberant and clinical attacking reinforcements in the summer to beef up their striking needs and one of the players they could possibly target is Peterborough United’s gunman, Jack Marriott. The 23-year-old has taken League One by storm this season, having plundered 22 goals from 36 games and has emerged as one of the hottest properties of English third division.
Marriot’s strength and knack to score goals is being closely monitored by the football fraternity and there is no denying that he would be on the radar of many top quality clubs in the summer transfer window. If he is persuaded to move to the Elland Road, it would be an upward step for him and the West Yorkshire based club would be able to inject a really threatening striker to their arsenal.
Bartosz Salamon
While Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper have been the first-choice central defensive pairing for the Peacocks for quite some time now, the club needs a quality centre-back as a back-up. Heckingbottom does have two options, namely, Matthew Pennington and Conor Shaughnessy, but these two youngsters have seemingly appeared to be fragile at the back on plenty of occasions.
Cagliari’s Bartosz Salamon, who is currently out on loan with SPAL, could be a great addition to Leeds United. Salamon is a client of Mino Raiola. So far this season, the Polish international has been handed 19 appearances in Serie A, and he has made 1.3 tackles, 2.6 interceptions, 7.9 clearances and 0.9 blocks per game on an average and would offer a lot of competition to the likes of Jansson and Cooper for a place in the starting line-up.
Pizzi
A central midfielder by trade for Benfica, Pizzi would be a ground shattering signing for the Peacocks. Jorge Mendes is the agent of the 28-year-old and given Raddrizzani’s close ties with Mendes, he must be aiming to lure Pizzi to the Elland Road in the summer to enhance the quality of his side’s midfield sector.
The 28-year-old has engineered a productive season in Portuguese top flight, scoring 5 goals and bagging 6 assists from 25 league appearances. He is a decent passer of the ball, is good with the set-pieces and holds the ball well. Leeds United do need a midfielder with a sound understanding of the game and Pizzi has the potential to be that man.
