According to Yorkshire Evening Post, Nicolas Gonzalez is on the agenda of Leeds United. The Whites are preparing for a busy summer transfer window, with the VfB Stuttgart attacker among players being looked at. Gonzalez is believed to be favoured by Marcelo Bielsa himself, who could remain at Elland Road beyond this summer, as Leeds rev up plans to keep him at the club.
Nicolas Gonzalez’s Rise To Prominence In The Bundesliga
Nicolas Gonzalez was one of the protagonists of an incredible season that saw VfB Stuttgart earn promotion back to the top-flight last season. He scored 14 goals and registered three assists – becoming one of 2.Liga’s best performers in the corresponding campaign.
Gonzalez’s start to his Bundesliga career, however, was a rather slow one as a muscle injury kept him out on the sidelines earlier this campaign. Since then, the Argentine forward has once again become an indispensable figure in the VfB attack, having netted six goals in just 13 appearances.
The 22-year-old has fit in effortlessly alongside relatively younger players like Tanguy Coulibaly, Mateo Klimowicz and Sasa Kaladzjic. At the same time, his combination play with Silas Wamangituka makes Stuttgart one of the most feared counter-attacking teams in the Bundesliga.
Gonzalez’s versatility has been quite useful for head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo. Though a left-winger by trade, the American tactician has utilised him in a more central role, either as a number ten or a number nine.
Why Leeds United Must Sign Gonzalez?
It was a risky move by Leeds United to not invest in a single player in the January transfer window. The club certainly need to make long-term plans to strengthen their offensive unit further, and any potential injury to Patrick Bamford could put them in deep trouble during the second half of the campaign.
In Gonzalez, the Whites could find themselves with a like for like a long-term alternative for Bamford. As mentioned earlier, the Argentine is a versatile striker who likes to link-up with his teammates rather than relying on his predatory scoring instincts. His work-ethic in the final third thus makes him an ideal fit for Marcelo Bielsa’s footballing philosophy.
The Leeds United manager can utilise his qualities in several positions as well. On the other hand, the player’s productivity should aid his team’s overall conversion rate that has dipped, to an extent, since the turn of the year.
Gonzalez’s potential arrival should also help the club tend to Bielsa’s priorities, thereby boosting the chances of the Argentine tactician remaining at Elland Road beyond the summer. And at the age of just 22, the VfB Stuttgart forward could be a smart long-term investment for the Yorkshire outfit.
