According to Fichajes, Leeds United are keeping tabs on Raul de Tomas. The Espanyol forward has become a hot prospect in the Spanish market after an impressive campaign in the Segunda Division. As such, the Whites are keen on securing his services this summer, although they could face stiff competition from Premier League rivals in Leicester City and West Ham.
Raul de Tomas’ Successful Spell At Espanyol
Raul de Tomas joined Espanyol at the start of last year, in a hefty €22 million move from SL Benfica. He was brought in to supplement a forward line that was struggling throughout the campaign. Unfortunately, his four goals couldn’t help the Catalan outfit survive the wrath of relegation.
This season, however, Tomas has become one of the main protagonists behind an excellent campaign that has seen Espanyol being top the table in the Segunda Division. Indeed, they are currently level on points with Mallorca at the top, with the forward netting 16 goals in 29 appearances – a tally only bettered by Uros Djurdjevic of Sporting Gijon (20 goals).
A centre-forward by trade, Tomas is a goalpoacher, as evidenced by his incredible tally in the Segunda Division this season. A product of the Real Madrid academy, the Spaniard possesses excellent positioning sense as well as the hunger to get on to the table. It makes him quite a hard-working striker, blessed with the technique as well as the intelligence to thrive in the final third.
Is Raul de Tomas A Good Option For Leeds United?
Raul de Tomas’ style of play resembles Leeds United’s very own star forward Rodrigo Moreno. Both the players rely heavily on their technical prowess and although Tomas might not be as versatile, he is certainly more hard-working, which could be favoured by Marcelo Bielsa and his dynamic attacking philosophy.
However, what makes the 26-year-old such an appealing option for Leeds United is his goalscoring prowess. Unlike Rodrigo, the former SL Benfica forward can offer a lot of productivity in the final third, meaning he can be considered as an ideal alternative for the main striker Patrick Bamford.
Tomas can operate in the secondary striker role if required, but it appears the Spaniard will be much better fitted as a number nine either alone or alongside Bamford in a potential two-man Leeds United attack.
Although the Espanyol forward does lack experience at the highest level of football, he is indeed a good replacement option for Rodrigo, at least from a stylistic sense. However, the Whites’ pursuit of Tomas could largely depend on Espanyol’s valuation as the Yorkshire giants certainly cannot break the bank in this current financial climate.
