Leeds United: Conor McGilligan slams board for not signing a striker in summer

Presenter Conor McGilligan has slammed the Leeds United board for not signing a new striker in the past summer window.

Over the past few months, the Whites made a number of new signings – bringing in the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams – but couldn’t land a forward.

Most notably, the club tried to sign PSV winger Cody Gakpo but failed. However, it looks as though they will try and sign him again in January, but McGilligan has warned of the difficulty of this.

Indeed, when speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, he explained that the World Cup could see Gakpo and other targets’ transfer values rise to astronomical fees in January.

With that in mind, McGilligan slammed the Leeds United board for not getting a striker in over the summer, saying: (1:50): “I just think the squad is too thin to be able to absolutely prosper in this division this season, and I think that is the fault of the board, believe it or not.

“Hence why the board is still looking at Cody Gakpo, they’re still looking at investing serious amounts in a striker in the January window, which beggars belief.

“Unbelievable, that they didn’t get it done in the summer months and now the January window is going to be 10 times harder because players like Cody Gakpo will have proven themselves after the World Cup and they’ll be going for a premium fee.”

TIF thoughts on Leeds and their transfer hopes…

Famously, the club did also try and sign Marseille’s Bamba Dieng only for that to fall apart at the very last moment, and so it’s not as if they weren’t trying to add a new forward to the team.

However, having failed to bring in Gakpo too, they may have to pay a ‘premium fee’ if they want to have any hope of bringing in the Dutchman, or anyone else for that matter, in the winter.

Indeed, the forward has started the season like a man on fire – scoring 10 goals and providing nine assists already so far this term – and if he performs for Holland in the World Cup, Leeds may well be priced out of a transfer.

All in all, it does look as though it will be hard for the Whites to sign a new forward in January, whoever that may be, so McGilligan’s anger is understandable.