Leeds United: Phil Hay on young striker Marsch has looked at

Phil Hay has claimed that Leeds United are seriously interested in Arnaud Kalimuendo.

Leeds are very likely going to bring in more attacking reinforcements this summer, not least because they struggled last season to stay in the league, but also because Raphinha, who was their top scorer last campaign is now all set to join Barcelona with a deal agreed in principle.

The Whites have been linked with several players over the course of this summer transfer window including Eddie Nketiah, Charles De Ketelaere and Kalimuendo with the latter the most realistic out-and-out striker option available out of the three mentioned.

However, while Hay believes Leeds very much like Kalimuendo, he’s claimed on The Phil Hay Show that a move may not materialise because of Joe Gelhardt.

(20:40) “You’ll have seen the links to Kalimuendo at PSG they do very much like him, he is someone they have looked at pretty seriously. I think the thing with him is that he’s 20 years old and they will be mindful of the fact that they want a signing that won’t get in the way of Gelhardt. They will want Gelhardt to get minutes this season they want him to develop and come through.

“I wonder if they would probably, well I suspect they may prefer somebody a little bit older in the way that De Keteleare is so that you’re not essentially sitting on two 20-year-olds vying for a position there.

“The last thing anybody wants to do with Gelhardt is to kind of crowd him out but everybody’s mindful of the fact that they do need more upfront than they had last season.”

TIF Thoughts on interest in a new striker…

Leeds have been tipped to move for Kalimuendo for a large chunk of the summer, with some even claiming that a bid had been lodged not too long ago, however, Hay makes a good point that bringing in someone that’s so young would likely restrict their own young talent in Gelhardt.

The Leeds striker proved last season that he is good enough to cut it in the Premier League when handed a chance having registered four goal involvements in five league starts during his debut campaign, however, he is still just 20 years old, so having him as the only deputy to Patrick Bamford would be a very poor idea from Jesse Marsch and Leeds.