Why Andre Gray would be a massive coup for Leeds United
According to Leeds Live, Leeds United have been credited with an interest in Andre Gray, who has slipped down the pecking order at Watford this season.
The January transfer window is already past the halfway mark but the Whites have been unsuccessful in getting any business done so far in the market.
Che Adams continues to be the club’s top target but with Southampton apparently closing the door on a loan exit for the former Birmingham City man (h/t Leeds Live), the West Yorkshire giants have set their sights on securing the services of Gray.
Much like Adams, the 28-year-old is also out-of-favour at Vicarage Road and while Watford are open to offers for him in January, affording Gray’s wages could be a stumbling block for Leeds.
Born in Wolverhampton, Gray shot to prominence with Luton Town in the Conference Premier before earning a coveted move to the Championship with Brentford back in 2014.
A tally of 20 goals in 50 games at Griffin Park eventually paved the way for a switch to Burnley back in the summer of 2015 and Gray hasn’t looked back since then.
Having plundered 23 goals in Burnley’s 2015-16 promotion-winning campaign in the Championship, Gray made an immediate impact in the Premier Leauge in the following season, scoring 9 times in 32 appearances as the Clarets narrowly beat the drop. That was enough to earn him a move to Watford in 2017.
Meanwhile, Leeds slipped down to second in the standings after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship last week.
Furthermore, with Brentford closing the gap on the automatic promotion places to just 6 points with a 3-1 thrashing of QPR, the pressure is right back on Marcelo Bielsa’s men.
The West Yorkshire giants slipped in the promotion race from a position of strength last season and Bielsa is surely experienced enough to know that things could go horribly wrong once again this term if corrective measures aren’t taken soon enough.
The latest 2-0 debacle against the Owls was yet another timely reminder of the fact that Leeds need to bring in a new striker to provide cover and competition for undisputed first-choice Patrick Bamford in front of goal.
As he has done throughout the season, Bamford offered a lot in terms of link-up play, movement and work rate, but he failed to capitalize on some scoring opportunities against a quality backline that offered Leeds little space to work with.
Verdict
Leeds United need a new striker to spearhead their surge for promotion and Andre Gray certainly fits the bill as a striker with proven pedigree at this level.
Gray’s modest-looking strike rate of 23 goals in 110 Premier League appearances is in complete contrast to his impressive tally of 41 goals and 18 assists in 88 outings in the Championship
The Wolverhampton-born striker might have struggled to make a massive impression in the Premier League but he remains a proven entity in the second-tier.
With that in mind, Leeds should leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of Andre Gray if the stumbling block of wages can somehow be overcome.
