Leeds United will surely already have one eye on the January transfer window as they desperately try to climb out of their relegation mess in the Premier League.
Indeed, Daniel Farke’s men are only one point shy of dropping into the bottom three positions at this moment in time, with some transfers through the door potentially transformative when it comes to their current dismal fortunes.
After all, the West Yorkshire outfit have splashed the cash with some vigour previously in the Premier League in the frantic January window, having once forked out a jaw-dropping £35.5m on Georginio Rutter mid-way through the 2022/23 season.
Back then, it didn’t save the Whites from the relegation trap door. But, Leeds could well fancy another statement move in this fashion to try and make survival a reality, with Ivan Toney audaciously on their shopping list…
Leeds' interest in Toney
If Leeds are in the hunt for a proven Premier League goalscorer that can put away goals by the bucket-load, Toney will surely be very high up their list.
Before moving to the Middle East with Al-Ahli, the clinical 29-year-old had managed to bag 36 Premier League goals for Brentford from 85 total clashes, leading to Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher hailing him as “one of the best attacking players” in the entire daunting division.
It’s not the greatest shock to read, therefore, that a raft of top-flight clubs are now interested in pursuing Toney’s signature, owing to the 6-foot-1 marksman wanting to return to English soil to maximise his international opportunities under Thomas Tuchel, ahead of the approaching World Cup next year.
Leeds had been noted as an interested party, alongside the likes of Everton and Tottenham Hotspur, but it looks as if the financials involved with the statement deal could stop the Whites dead in their tracks – according to an update from TEAMtalk – with Toney earning a staggering £400k-per-week pay-packet in the Saudi Pro League.
This will be a gutting development, considering Leeds have just three away goals all season long.
But, they could forget all about their Toney heartbreak by finally bumping up a free-flowing goalscorer from the U21 ranks to the first team picture.
Leeds can forget Toney by unleashing "one of England's best prospects"
Instead of forking out millions on both a combined transfer fee and wage costs for Toney, Leeds could finally give one of their own a go in the Premier League.
After all, Leeds have a glittering track record when previously gambling on homegrown prodigies coming good, with both Kalvin Phillips and Archie Gray springing to mind, instantly.
Could Harry Gray be the next notable name who lives up to his Thorp Arch hype?
Already, the U21s goal machine has been labelled as “one of England’s best young prospects” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, alongside being dubbed the “real deal” in front of goal at just 17 years of age by Mattinson.
His goalscoring numbers certainly back up all this wild hype, with a hope that Gray – who has a lethal seven goals from just nine games this season – can soon enter into the Whites’ senior mix and be as equally unerring, with Toney’s failed move pushed to one side comfortably, in the process.
25/26
9
7 + 2
24/25
8
3 + 0
23/24
11
8 + 0
It’s not even the boldest claim in the world to suggest that Gray could make waves in the senior game very shortly, with one senior appearance already under his belt.
Journalist Alan Nixon has suggested, though, that the 17-year-old hotshot will be subject to interest from the likes of Derby County and Hull City in January over a loan move, which would be very beneficial to his future development, much like Toney started to make strides in the senior game himself with a string of EFL loan stints.
Still, at some point in the near future, do not rule out Gray becoming Farke’s leading man in attack, with Leeds’ continued goal-shy performances perhaps seeing the German unleash the teenager into the men’s ranks in the New Year, over chucking him out to the Rams or the Tigers temporarily.
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