Leeds United have the 27-year-old striker Habib Diallo on their radar ahead of the summer transfer window as they look to bolster their squad.
Who is Habib Diallo?
The Yorkshire club are entering their final four games of the 2022/23 campaign with their status in the Premier League under serious scrutiny.
Only goal difference is keeping the Whites outside of the bottom three currently with Sam Allardyce brought in to attempt to provide them with an immediate turnaround.
Goals have been an issue for Leeds this season having only scored 43 times in their 34 league appearances.
This comes despite Rodrigo scoring 11 times in the league, but only one of those have come since the turn of the year (via Transfermarkt).
The search for a consistent bagsman will take Leeds into the summer with Diallo believed to be on their radar after an impressive campaign in Ligue 1.
Diallo is currently playing for the struggling Strasbourg who also sit just outside of the drop zone on goal difference where he has two years remaining on his deal.
Speaking on the Football Insider YouTube channel, journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested the Whites will target the £20m-rated Diallo if they remain in the top flight:
(15:20) “I think he would be somebody who will figure quite highly on Leeds’ wanted list as [he] will for a number of Premier League clubs, I think, Habib Diallo.
“There has been a number of clubs who have went over to watch him in France this season as well and Strasbourg willing to sell him well this summer. Just got a couple of years left on this contract but the French club want to cash in on him this summer.”
“I think for somebody like Diallo with his goalscoring record in France, I think you’re probably looking at between £15m-£20m mark for him as well.”
Would Diallo provide Leeds with an upgrade?
Leeds have been overly reliant on Rodrigo this season with no other player having broken the double-figure mark in front of goal.
The next highest-scoring striker at Elland Road has been Patrick Bamford, but the Englishman has only provided a return of four goals in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).
Injuries have been an issue for the 29-year-old for a number of seasons now, however, he hasn’t helped himself in missing chances like he did against Leicester City.
In comparison, Diallo has shone in the struggling Strasbourg side having returned 17 goals in Ligue 1 alone this season (via Transfermarkt).
What is perhaps even more appealing for Leeds is the 27-year-old’s goals have remained fairly consistent throughout the course of the campaign.
Along with his impressive goals return, the Senegalese forward has also offered Strasbourg with help in defence as he ranks inside the top seventh percentile for interceptions made (via FBref).
In comparison to Rodrigo, the Ligue 1 man has provided more attempted take-ons per game but has lacked in a lot of other statistical areas (via Fbref).
However, he has trumped the Spaniard in the most important statistic having returned a further six league goals this season which will surely encourage those at Elland Road.
