Hamburg striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga, who was on a season-long loan at Leeds United, is set to join his parent club back in Germany. He bid farewell to the Leeds fans on social media, which is a confirmation of the fact that his time at Elland Road has come to an end. However, there have been speculations about him moving back to the English club in the near future but it seems that his salary is one of the biggest barriers to bringing him back on a permanent basis.
His parent club, Hamburg, are set to be relegated from the top tier of the Bundesliga and he could end up playing in the second division next term. One can say his loan spell was quite a decent one as he managed 10 goals in 31 appearances in the Championship. He managed to become the second highest scorer for Leeds this season and was just behind Kemar Roofe, who scored 11 goals this term.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side have struggled this season in front of the goal and a 10-goal striker moving away from the club will certainly pile more misery on the manager.
He will certainly need to make some acquisitions in the transfer market to bolster his attacking options and we look at three replacements the former Barnsley man can go for to replace the void left behind by Lasogga.
Patrick Bamford:
The Middlesbrough striker will certainly be a great addition to the current Leeds squad. He has all the capabilities to lead the front line and can be that 15-20 goals striker a season for Paul Heckingbottom’s side.
Currently, he is fighting for a place in the Boro lineup with Britt Assombalonga and could be lured to Elland road if he is offered regular game time. However, if Tony Pulis’ side manages to qualify for the Premier League, then Bamford might stay at the Riverside Stadium.
Benik Afobe:
The Bournemouth striker, who was on loan with Wolves since January, managed 6 goals in the Championship this season. The Peacocks fans will remember him, as he scored his first goal for Wolves against Leeds United at Elland Road. His future is currently not certain with the Cherries and Wolves haven’t made a move for him to get him on a permanent basis after his loan spell ended. That could mean the Whites can pounce on him and make him their striking option for next season.
Steven Fletcher:
The Sheffield Wednesday striker, who has previously played in the Premier League, can also be a good addition to the Leeds team. His season with the Owls was stopped midway due to injuries and he managed just 3 goals in their entire campaign having played 20 times.
Nevertheless the Scottish international will bring much-needed experience up front for Paul Heckingbottom and is worth taking a bet on.
