OPINION
Manchester City have given the green light for young centre-forward Lukas Nmecha to join Leeds United as the Marcelo Bielsa effect prepares to pay dividends.
It is a tantalising and mouthwatering prospect for the Championship giants following what has been a frustrating summer window summed up by the bizarre decision to cash in on Ronaldo Vieira this week.
The Sun claim City boss Pep Guardiola “cleared” Nmecha to hold talks with Leeds on Thursday after allowing fellow rising star Jack Harrison to move to Elland Road last week.
Intriguingly, the newspaper point out how the Spaniard is a “huge fan” of Bielsa and is willing to hand over his club’s young guns to a manager he trusts and respects.
Bielsa’s opening press conferences at Elland Road have been marked by his humility and absence of conceit or arrogance.
But what is certain is that the Argentine who will patrol the Leeds dugout in Sunday’s Championship opener against Stoke City has a standing that gives his new club a major transfer market advantage.
The Sun report that Swansea City “thought they had a deal for Nmecha for the season” but Leeds have been able to hijack their promotion rivals and are now well placed to provide centre-forward cover for £7million new boy Patrick Bamford.
Certainly, Leeds need further goalscoring potential in their squad. Kemar Roofe is at his best operating in a deeper role, while Caleb Ekuban has only two senior goals to his name since joining from Chievo last summer.
Nmecha is young, powerful, mobile and hugely talented. There is a queue for his services from Championship clubs because of his goalscoring exploits at youth team level.
Aged 19, the striker has been at City since he was nine and has been prolific in recent seasons, scoring 27 times in 35 appearances for the club’s Under-23s after ripping it up at Under-18s level with 15 goals in 16 matches.
He has made three senior appearances for the Premier League champions, including two in the top flight.
It would be a major coup for Leeds if they can get the deal done – and they would have Bielsa to thank.