Striker Arnaud Kalimuendo celebrates after scoring for Lens
Leeds United are now thought to be focusing on a move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo.
The Lowdown: Kalimuendo linked with Leeds
Kalimuendo, who European football expert Antonio Mango hailed as a ‘superstar in the making‘, was linked with a move to Elland Road earlier in the summer.
Reports previously claimed that Leeds even made a €20m (£16.9m) offer for the 20-year-old, although those rumours cooled following links to Charles De Ketelaere.
Victor Orta is after a new striker to finalise Leeds’ first-team summer transfer business after already making six signings, and it looks as if Kalimuendo is back on the radar.
The Latest: Transfer update
Calciomercato shared a transfer update regarding Leeds’ hunt for a forward on Monday.
They claimed that, ‘in the last few hours’, the Whites appear to have ‘thrown in the towel’ when it comes to De Ketelaere, who seems to be heading to AC Milan, and are now ‘focusing’ on a move for Kalimuendo.
The Verdict: Shrewd alternative
Like De Ketelaere, Kalimuendo enjoyed an impressive 2021/22 season, scoring 12 Ligue 1 goals in 34 appearances.
The Frenchman mainly lined out as a centre-forward but was also used from the left and in a deeper role, while he has showcased other attributes aside from scoring goals.
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He ranks in the 99th percentile for forwards across Europe’s top five leagues when it comes to passing success rate (82.6%), showing excellent composure in the final third for such a young player, so it looks as if he could be a smart alternative to De Ketelaere.
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