The ongoing saga for the signature of Abel Hernandez has got much more interesting as Galatasaray has jumped onto the ship to sign the free agent. Leeds United have been chasing him for quite some time now and they are still being considered as favourites to get their man. However, the Turkish giants can be a huge stumbling block for the Peacocks as they can offer the 27-year-old a chance to play in the Champions League.
Hernandez’s last season was plagued due to injury and he made just 10 appearances in the Championship. However, he showed his potency in those few games as he bagged eight goals after coming back from a long-term knee injury.
The Whites are in need of a proven goalscorer as they have lacked the cutting edge in the attacking half of the pitch. They had another dismal season as they finished 13th in the league after having a good start to the season under Thomas Christiansen. Their new manager Paul Heckingbottom didn’t manage to improve much since his arrival and he was given the boot from the club after just 4 months as he failed to inspire the Whites. The results speak for themselves as the former Barnsley manager just managed 4 wins in his 16 games in charge.
Abel Hernandez’s name has been doing the rounds for quite some time now and with every passing day, the Leeds faithful will be getting anxious regarding his arrival. With some European heavyweights reportedly vying for him, the currently managerless Leeds United need to be prepared for backup options if they don’t manage to sign him and we look at three possible replacements that they can go after.
Dwight Gayle
A proven name in the Championship as he was a crucial player in Newcastle United‘s promotion bid to the top division. However, Gayle failed to replicate his form in the Premier League as he managed just 6 goals in the 2017-18 campaign. However, he will surely be a good buy for the Whites.
Jack Marriott
The Peterborough United star had a breakthrough year in League One as he scored 33 goals in all competitions and was the top scorer in League One last season. There might be a bit of a risk by bringing in a striker from lower leagues but from the pieces of evidence the 23-year-old has produced, he certainly seems to be ready for Championship football.
Patrick Bamford
The 24-year-old and former England u21 international could be a great buy for the Whites. He seems to have lost his place in the Middlesbrough lineup as Tony Pulis went on to prefer Britt Assombalonga for the latter half of the season and now could be the right time for the Whites to make a move on him. The striker managed 13 goals last season for Boro and can be a handy addition for the Peacocks for the next season in case they make a move for him.
