Latest reports from the Mirror suggests that Leeds United are interested in Willem II striker Fran Sol who has been firing on all cylinders in the Dutch Eredivisie this season. The 26-year-old has managed 12 goals in 16 league games so far, and his form has made him a centre of attention for quite a few clubs. If the same reports are to go by then English clubs like Burnley, Cardiff, Huddersfield, Swansea and Derby County are also interested in him. On top of it, Glaswegian giants Rangers and Celtic are also said to be in the mix.
Leeds United currently occupy the top spot in the Championship, and there is a decent chance they would get promoted to the Premier League after struggling for more than a decade in the wilderness of the lower divisions. They currently play one of the most eye-catching brands of football under Marcelo Bielsa and they have managed to carry on the tempo thus far.
Kemar Roofe has played a significant role for the Whites and has usually been the preferred choice for Bielsa to lead the line. The club also has former Championship player of the season Patrick Bamford as cover who has been out injured for the most parts this season but, is currently fit. The striker came off the bench in the last game to wrap up all three points, so Bielsa has two outstanding options up front.
Apart from that, there is Tyler Roberts who showed promising signs when the likes of Roofe and Bamford were both out injured. The signing of Sol in January would undoubtedly be a bad sign for someone like Roberts whose game time has been limited since the main strikers have been available.
With two top forwards and one decent young striker in Bielsa’s arsenal, going for Sol doesn’t make sense, and the Whites should probably try to strengthen other departments. They should look to spend on an experienced goalkeeper and maybe now on an attacking midfielder after the development (Yorkshire Evening Post) with Samuel Saiz.
Sol though has been in red-hot form ever since he moved from Spain to ply his trade in the Netherlands. Since 2016, the Spanish forward has made 86 appearances in all competitions and has scored 45 goals. Those are definitely impressive numbers, but at the moment there is no need to for the Whites to go after a striker.
However, a forward can be required by the Whites if Kemar Roofe goes on to leave the club as he is attracting interest (Birmingham Mail) from Premier League clubs like Wolves and Crystal Palace. Therefore until and unless there is a vacancy or a major injury to a striker, we don’t see Bielsa going for Sol in January.
